Review of LACSA flight San José → San Salvador in Business

Airline LACSA
Flight LR 620
Class Business
Seat 2D
Aircraft Airbus A320
Flight time 01:20
Take-off 02 Dec 12, 12:20
Arrival at 02 Dec 12, 13:40
LR 2 reviews
jetsetpanda
By 2320
Published on 14th October 2013
I arrived at the airport 2 hrs ahead and dutifully paid my departure taxes before checking in at the counter. When I arrived at the TA counter, the J line was empty so I went directly to the front. A robotic agent checks me in and wishes me a pleasant flight. Security line is not bad at all and it takes me less than 5 minutes to go through security.

Once inside, I look for the TA VIP Lounge which is located by gate 4 and take the elevator upstairs. I present my TA J boarding pass and the agent directs me to the room on the left side. The lounge feels spacious and modern, with 2 computer terminals at one end with a view of the tarmac. There is a small room on the left side that offers a bit more privacy with some individual lounge chairs. A small buffet area is set in the back with limited food items and soft drinks. There is also a bar with a bartender.




I took advantage of the view to take some pictures of the planes in the tarmac.

photo TA @ SJO (800x541)photo TA fleet (5) (800x492)


Buffet area

photo TA VIP @ SJO (4) (800x592)photo TA VIP @ SJO (5) (800x600)photo TA VIP @ SJO (6) (800x479)


WC

photo TA VIP @ SJO (12) (800x600)



At about 40 min. before dept. I left the lounge and headed to the nearby gate. A few minutes later courtesy boarding was extended to passengers on wheelchair followed by those in J. Inside the jetbridge I had to go through another quick bag inspection and then boarded the plane. Once settled into my seat, I saw that FA's were proactive hanging coats and offering a selection of water or orange juice before take off. There were pillows on each seat and I noticed that this cabin was different from my two previous flights. By now I was wondering how many different versions of J cabins this airline has.


Plane at the gate

photo TA LR 620 SJO-SAL (3) (800x600)


Cabin

photo TA LR 620 SJO-SAL (4) (800x600)photo TA LR 620 SJO-SAL (5) (800x600)



A vestige of the old Clase Ejecutiva logo

photo TA LR 620 SJO-SAL (6) (800x600)


Take off was on time and a snack was served on this 1:15 hr flight. Just like LR 671, this flight was sold as LACSA and code shared with TACA, but the actual plane was TACA. The meal was made up of salmon sushi with cream cheese, a mystery salad bound by mayo and some julienne veggies. There was sort of cheesecake with a berry sauce as a dessert and a warm roll on the tray. Somehow this snack failed as an attempt at serving something with an international flair. Either you do it right or stick to something familiar and basic. The salad was indiscernible. To this day I did not know what type of meat was used (if any). A small sandwich would have been appreciated. On a brighter note, service provided by the purser was very efficient and professional.

Snack

photo LR 620 SJO-SAL (6) (800x543)




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Verdict

LACSA

7.5/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew9.5
Entertainment/wifi6.5
Meal/catering6.0

AviancaTaca-American Express

9.1/10
Comfort9.0
Meal/catering9.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Services9.5

San José - SJO

9.0/10
Efficiency9.5
Access9.0
Services8.5
Cleanliness9.0

San Salvador - SAL

8.0/10
Efficiency8.0
Access8.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.0

Conclusion

For short routes TACA does a great job by providing snacks in both J and Y cabins. Crew was efficient and professional and the lounge in SJO was small but comfortable and I appreciated the pastries, sandwiches and fruits. At least they don't load up on packaged snacks like other lounges.

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