Avianca Airlines Customer Service Issues

Dear Customer Service, I am writing to seek assistance regarding a recent flight booking issue. I booked a flight through Booking, which apparently involves the partner company Gotogate. The booking was confirmed, but shortly after, the flight was changed by Avianca without explanation. When attempting to check in online, we discovered that the traveler's name was not on the flight list at the airport, resulting in denied boarding. We had to purchase a new flight, as advised by Gotogate, placing the responsibility on Avianca. We are seeking a refund for this additional flight. The details of the original flight were: - Date: FRIDAY, 11 NOV - Flight: IBERIA IB [redacted] to Madrid, then IBERIA IB [redacted] to Bogota - Passenger: Mrs. Saldarriaga Cantillo-Diana Andrea - Reservation Code: YWFYXJ - Travel Agency Reservation Code: UVUIIS (AV)(IB) Please contact us at the telephone number [redacted]-0-[redacted] or via email at [redacted] Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated. Best regards, M. Lorch

Matthias Lorch Durlacher Str. 4 [redacted] Durmersheim Deutschland Ich habe einen Flug über Booking bei der Partnerfirma Gotogate gebucht. Zuerst wurde der Flug bestätigt, aber dann hat Avianca den Flug aus unbekannten Gründen geändert. Beim Online Check-in war der Reisende nicht auf der Liste, daher konnten wir nicht einchecken. Wir mussten einen neuen Flug kaufen, den Gotogate sagt uns bei Avianca einzufordern. Wir beantragen eine Erstattung für den Flug am FREITAG, 11. NOVEMBER, Flug IBERIA IB [redacted] nach Madrid und dann IBERIA IB [redacted] nach Bogota für Frau Diana Andrea Saldarriaga Cantillo mit der Buchungsnummer YWFYXJ. Unsere Telefonnummer ist [redacted]-0-[redacted] und die E-Mail-Adresse lautet [redacted] Mit freundlichen Grüßen Matthias Lorch

My flight was rescheduled by over an hour. After contacting customer service because the provided alternative flights didn't suit me, I was initially informed that changing my flight would incur a fee, despite being told otherwise earlier. Upon clarifying the extent of the delay, the representative acknowledged the mistake and agreed to change my flight for free. Despite having no immediate plans to use the new flight scheduled two months later, I proceeded with the change to avoid losing the booking. However, I later inquired about a refund for the original flight, only to be informed that the option for a refund was only available for the previous booking and not the newly arranged one. I now wish to revert to my initial flight and seek a refund for that booking. The new flight number is [redacted][redacted], and the old flight was numbered [redacted][redacted]. Thank you.

My flight was canceled by the airline and rescheduled two days later. Unfortunately, only the first part of the flight was confirmed, and the second part never received confirmation less than 24 hours before the flight. The travel agency canceled the booking, assuring me a refund since the flight was never confirmed. I had to purchase a new flight with only 2 days' notice, even though I originally booked it 6 months in advance, resulting in additional costs for hotels and train tickets on the original travel date. I tried filling out forms online with Avancia for my refund, but they redirected me to the travel agency, and the cycle continued without any resolution. Despite booking a more expensive flight two days later, I have yet to receive a refund for the original booking. Original Booking: 19-11-[redacted] 18:35 Marseille - Heathrow Heathrow - Bogota Booking Reference: [redacted][redacted] BOGWE796294 Booked through Govoyages Reservation: [redacted]

I have experienced an overbooking issue with my Avianca flight, resulting in being denied boarding despite arriving early at the airport for check-in. When contacting Avianca's helpline, I was repeatedly asked if I wanted to cancel or change my flight instead of being provided assistance due to their overbooking error. It is frustrating that Avianca knowingly booked more passengers than available seats, disrupting travel plans and causing inconvenience. Moreover, at the Bogota airport, unnecessary vaccine queries were made despite no vaccination requirements for my destination, Guatemala. This situation led to numerous cancellations, including my hotel reservation and airport pickup arrangements, causing financial loss and missing a significant birthday celebration. Avianca's handling of the overbooking issue and customer treatment is disappointing and reflects poorly on their service standards.

I had planned to go to Argentina to help relocate my 98-year-old grandmother and sell her house, but due to her declining health, my uncle took action without informing the family. He moved her to a nursing home and put the house up for sale. This sudden change affects my travel plans and financial situation significantly. I had intended to stay at her house, avoiding additional expenses on accommodation. I seek your assistance as I have tried reaching out to your representatives over the phone yesterday and today, but my calls were put on hold for over 45 minutes, only to be disconnected without any resolution or follow-up on my refund request. Your prompt help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

I purchased tickets for my wife María Eugenia Giraldo ID [redacted]6 and for me, Edgar Efrain Bernal ID [redacted]7, to travel from Bogota to Santa Marta on Friday, December 16th, on flight AV [redacted], returning on Tuesday, December 20th, on flight AV [redacted]. I received the purchase receipt which presumably includes the reservation details and the amount paid to my email [redacted] Unfortunately, this email account got blocked because it was hacked, and I no longer have access to these details to complete the check-in. I kindly request that you resend this receipt to my current email [redacted]

I recently had a negative experience with Avianca's customer service. The interactions with their representatives were unhelpful and frustrating, leading me to seek assistance at Dulles Airport. Unfortunately, the automated assistant and phone numbers provided did not offer a solution to my problem with the life miles program. I advise others not to waste time seeking credits or refunds with this airline and suggest filing a complaint with the FAA. Despite the professionalism and apologies from the individuals I spoke to, Avianca's customer service policies seem designed to hinder resolutions and waste customers' time. Their requests for notarized bank statements and extensive personal information exacerbated the issue. From my perspective, Avianca has deprived me of $[redacted]. I am eager for a direct call rather than email or virtual assistance, without delays or surveys following the call.

Hello, I am Viviane Tilleul from France. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our trip to Colombia. We had booked a flight with Avianca on December 19th from Bogota to Santa Marta. Our reservation number is 3WSIZ7. The passengers were Tilleul Hatwell Viviane and Patrick Tilleul. The booking reference is 3WSIZ7, and the ticket number is [redacted][redacted]. Air France has already refunded our flight. Can you please reimburse us for the ticket since the flight schedule was changed? Thank you. Sincerely, Viviane Tilleul

Hello, I am unable to reach La Paz due to riots and roadblocks. This has made it impossible for me to catch my flight to Ecuador. I have been trying every day to secure a bus ticket, but there are no services available. The people selling tickets are unreliable, and passengers end up stranded halfway. Given this exceptional circumstance, I kindly request for my flight to be canceled. The current political situation has caused me a lot of stress, and I am unable to reach Bolivia. Your guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

My son and his cousins missed their flight from LYS to BOG because he did not have the ESTA form. They were supposed to take Avianca flight AV127 to Miami on December 20th at 6:20 PM, but they were unaware of this. Can they change their flight to a later one once they find a new flight to Miami? Their reservation codes are KI3TFO (Folco FRANCHELLA) and KI7ER2 (Matteo ARSAC). Thank you for your response. Regards, Alain FRANCHELLA.

Subject: Regarding Reimbursement Request - Ref. No. [redacted] Hello, concerning my reimbursement request No. [redacted] processed by your team, I received the following message: "We have instructed our bank to credit your Visa credit card on 24/10/[redacted], with authorization code [redacted]. We kindly ask you to verify the payment on your bank statement and/or with your bank, considering the reimbursement amount of USD [redacted].6. However, to date, I have not seen this amount credited to my account with the issuing Bank for my Visa card used for that payment. Thank you for your assistance, P. Echeverri"

I accidentally dropped my passport on the flight from Bogota to Cartagena. I received a message from a staff member in Cartagena saying they found it and sent it to the lost and found at Bogota airport. Upon flying back to Bogota this morning to collect it, I was informed that the passport had been misplaced. I had to visit the US embassy to get a new one and ended up missing my return flight to Cartagena due to Avianca misplacing the passport after informing me they had it. I had to book another flight from Bogota to Cartagena and have faced a lot of stress and incurred additional expenses due to their carelessness with my passport. I need assistance from Avianca to address this situation.

Hello, Yesterday, my girlfriend and I arrived in Santiago de Chile from Bogotá. Unfortunately, our baggage did not arrive with us. We flew with Avianca. The woman at the baggage support desk informed us to come to the airport today to collect our baggage. However, today we are having trouble finding the Avianca office as no one can provide us with directions. The telephone number is not working, so we are unsure what steps to take. Can anyone offer assistance? Sincerely, Max

I am reaching out today to address the concerning baggage fee practices of Avianca that I recently experienced on my flights. As a seasoned traveler for nearly three decades, I understand the concept of additional charges for luggage. However, the exorbitant fees imposed by Avianca during my trips have left me feeling taken advantage of. For instance, on my return flight from Medellin to Cancun, I was shocked to be charged approximately US$[redacted] for hand luggage, a significant increase compared to the outbound journey. It is clear that such an arbitrary hike in fees lacks justification, and I am seeking a refund of the excessive US$80 difference. The pricing discrepancy between the two legs of my trip raises questions about the fairness and transparency of Avianca's fee structure. The steep cost of US$[redacted] for 10 kg of official hand baggage, especially when compared to the base fare, appears to be an unreasonable and deceptive practice. I expect Avianca to rectify this situation promptly.

Hi, I am inquiring about a charge I received on flight A1688 from Quito to Baltra Island on January 23rd, [redacted]. My booking reference number is 4LOEL9. Upon boarding, I was unexpectedly charged $[redacted] for purchasing a ticket that seemed to be restricted to Ecuadorian residents. Despite providing my information as a United States resident upon ticket purchase (XS), I was deemed ineligible and forced to pay the extra fee. I was also informed of a similar charge being applicable to my return flight. I am concerned by this situation as other passengers with comparable tickets were not required to pay the fee, although the provided notice suggested otherwise. The lack of clarity surrounding these charges gives rise to doubts about the fairness of the process. It appears more cost-effective for me to choose a different airline for my return journey than to pay another $[redacted] to Avianca. Having been a frequent Avianca customer, this incident has shaken my trust in the company. I request a refund for the aforementioned fee and written confirmation that I will not face a similar charge on my return flight (Flight [redacted], scheduled for January 31, [redacted]). Without these assurances, I may need to explore alternative airline options moving forward. Please see the attached notice displayed at the gate, which did not seem directly relevant to my ticket. Thank you, J.L.

Dear Avianca, I wanted to share my recent experience on my flight with you. On January 27th, I was left disappointed by the service I received: 1. At Los Angeles airport, I was surprised to be charged $[redacted] to bring my guitar on board, which cost only $[redacted]. This fee was much higher than I have encountered in my travels to [redacted] countries. I have a receipt for this payment if needed. 2. The flight from Bogota to Santiago de Chile had non-reclining seats and no complimentary water, tea, coffee, or food unless purchased separately. 3. Additionally, there was no entertainment screen for movies or news, making the flight a dull experience. We were relieved upon landing in Santiago. I kindly request a refund of $[redacted] for the extra charges. I can provide proof of payment and my tickets if necessary. Looking forward to your response. Best regards, Shane McCarthy B.Ed

I booked a 4-night stay in Costa Rica through Airbnb in December. Due to changes in my airline itinerary, I had to cancel the reservation. Airbnb's website indicated no refund, but the property owner in Costa Rica informed me via email that I could get a full refund if I canceled more than a month in advance. I canceled accordingly, but Airbnb did not provide a refund. The owner/manager mentioned they were new to handling this situation and were unaware of Airbnb's refund policy. They emphasized it was my responsibility to follow Airbnb's rules. I have not received a response from Airbnb regarding my inquiry. Can anyone offer assistance with this issue?

My recent flights had distinct experiences. Flying with United Airlines from El Salvador to Houston was excellent. However, when taking Avianca on the Houston to El Salvador route, boarding was chaotic. Then, the return trip from El Salvador to San Francisco on Avianca was also disappointing. During check-in, I found my suitcase was slightly over its weight limit and my carry-on exceeded the allowance. The staff member was unkind, stating I couldn't fly unless I repacked or paid $[redacted] for an extra suitcase. I pointed out my ticket included the first bag free, yet she insisted on the hefty fee. The overall customer service lacked friendliness and understanding. When I requested to speak to a supervisor, I was dismissed. I plan on avoiding Avianca in the future due to their unfriendly and unaccommodating service, including the chaotic boarding process.

I bought tickets for a trip from LAX to San Salvador with a connection to San Jose Costa Rica. The flight was supposed to leave on Feb 17, [redacted], at 23:50. I got my boarding passes around 9:50 pm and saw my gate was [redacted]. After waiting with 20 other passengers, I realized the gate had been changed to [redacted] when I spoke to my friends who missed the flight too. I hurried to gate [redacted] but missed the boarding. No one informed us of the change, and I'd like to use my ticket to reach my original destination without extra cost and delays.