Review of Iberia flight from Bogota to Madrid in Premium Eco

Introduction

Hello amigos!

Welcome to the return part of a trip to Bogotá back in the winter of 2021-22.
You can find the first flight's FR here.

Back then IB operated two flights between BOG and MAD. One departed around 18:00 and the other at 22:30. Nowadays, there is a third flight departing at 14:00. Fares tend to be the same regardless of departure time, so in the end it is up to the client's choice: spend more time in Bogotá, or arrive earlier to Madrid. I chose this flight hoping to get some nice sunset views on the first leg of my flight (naïve me…).

Without further ado, let's get it on!

At BOGOTá Eldorado

When I made it to BOG, there was already a huge queue for our flight. There amount of people travelling to Spain from Colombia is huge (that's why there are 4 airlines flying the between BOG and MAD, about to be 5, and over 7 flights a day). 

Luckily I didn't have to join the general queue, but I could use the "business class", and that's why I was done with check in in less than 10 minutes. Can't beat that…and with that, I was off to emigration and airside.

The PTY-IST flight was ready to leave. This was the first time I saw the TK plane at BOG with my own eyes.

In the meanwhile I spotted more of the local fauna. Lot's of Dreamliners that day, including local AV, but also Aeromexico and KLM

The presidential Fokker 28 was taking some top person somewhere for a trip…

The pandemic was still a thing back then… as you may see with the signs, facemasks and how empty the terminal seemed

It was a lovely afternoon with nice views to the Cerros

That afternoon's departures

Since the Eldorado Lounge doesn't face the tarmac, I waited to see my ride arrive, and then grab something quick in the lounge. While I don't find the A350 as gorgeous as the A340/A330, it is starting to grow on me

The KLM flight left for Cartagena and Amsterdam

The Eldorado Lounge wasn't too full. I just went there to grab a Kola Roman (a typical soft drink from Cartagena) and I was back to our gate.

boarding

I managed to board among the first in the flight…we were greeted by a FA who led me to my corresponding aisle.

Our seats were neatly appointed with pillows and blanket

Seat Pitch, and PTV is more than enough for our transatlantic hop

While our plane got filled up, Dreamliners were replaced by Copa 737s

enroute to madrid

By the time boarding was completed, the sun was down (bummer, I missed the sunset from the air).

I don't know why IB's IFE always takes long to charge the flight data…

The cabin was dimmed and we went to RWY 13R for a East, then North departure, which took us over the northern half of Bogotá.

Before leaving we got a glimpse of AV's Dreamliner graveyard (?) AV was having a lot of trouble with the Trent engines back then.

And off we were…

As I enjoyed the views of little towns and small cities in Boyacá, the cabin was filled with the smell of food…I chose to watch a popular late night show in Spain "la Resistencia" 

Options were chicken or pasta, I went for the chicken.

It was good…nothing extraordinary.
Done with food, nothing in the IFE was appealing, so I read for a while and went to sleep

We were woken up nearing Portugal, with a gorgeous sunrise

The weak spot in IB's Premium Economy service is the second meal. Which is the same as in Y. A sandwich, a chocolate bar and a drink. It was edible.

As the sun rose, we reached Portugal

We crossed the Penninsula into its centre, where Madrid is

We had a smooth landing (I cannot stop congratulating IB pilots on this) over RWY 33L, affording some interesting views of visitors to IB's MRO facility.

The BA A380s were still were I left them a couple of months before

And a new kid was in the block (I never saw it again BTW)

MAD's iconic ATC tower welcomed us back

Immigration took no time…then I took the APM to T4, where bags took ages to come out

And with that…my trip, and this FR came to an end!