Introduction
The day after I arrive in Bogotà, I receive an email and text message from Lufthansa, telling me that my flight back to Frankfurt has been cancelled due to industrial action in Germany planned for later in the week. Alas, the correspondence does not include an alternative routing or anything of the sort. Not trusting Lufthansa to come up with a viable solution to reprotect me, on Tuesday evening I call them to claim a refund of the unused half-return portion of my ticket.
And that, boys and girls and non-binary persons, is how I find myself returning from Bogotà to Amsterdam on Iberia. But I’m not complaining. I think the A 350 is a beast, so I could have done much, much worse.
In the winter schedule of 2023/2024 Iberia operates three daily services from Madrid to Bogotà.
Check-in
I arrive at Bogotà’s El Dorado airport at 16:15. International flights arrive and depart from Terminal 1. Online check-in is available. However, you still have to show your passport at check-in or at the gate, so I figure I might as well do everything in one go at the check-in counter.
There are two dedicated counters for Business Class passengers.
Security and passport control are quiet. There is no dedicated lane for Business Class passengers.
Airside
Iberia uses the LATAM lounge opposite gate A1 in Bogotà. But I don’t bother. Boarding is supposedly starting in less than an hour and the views from the gate area are excellent. So instead, I park myself by gate A6 to take a few photos of my ride arriving from Madrid.
Such a gorgeous bird!
Okay, maybe just one more photo.
And another just to catch the strobe light.
Getting closer…
Am I the only one here who really envies that marshaller right now?
Satena taking off in the background.
We’re ready for your close up, Ma’am.
Okay, one more from a different tangle.
And in closeup.
The airbirdge is quickly moved into position and passengers start disembarking.
Meanwhile, this 737 taxies out in the backround.
From where I’m seated, I can watch all the proceedings down on the ramp. I find it interesting that before the cleaning crew are allowed on the plane, they are all patted down by security and even have to take their shoes off.
Not sure how effective that mop is going to be after being dragged along the ground…
Boarding
My boarding pass shows that boarding should begin one full hour before departure. My first assumption is that they probably say that to make sure that people arrive at the gate on time… or maybe not.
Boarding takes an hour because they only allow small groups at a time into the airbridge. Which at least gives me a good opportunity to take a photo of our neigbour.
Once inside the airbridge, passengers are instructed to place their hand luggage in a row in the middle. Then women and men are segregated, with the women on the left, and the men on the right. Next, we are asked to turn to face towards the wall with our hands raised above our heads. We are then patted down individually while a sniffer dog checks each piece of luggage for narcotics.
The Cabin & Seat
The Business Class cabin is located between the L1 and L2 doors. The seats are configured in a 1 + 2 + 1 layout.
Uneven numbered seats are on the aisle and the even numbered seats are next to the window.
I am seated on 1C, which is the bulkhead row.
This seat is remarkable in that it has its own storage compartment. It’s big enough to hold my suitcase and backpack.
The seat has a nice finish. The only thing is that the colours are perhaps a little drab.
There is a further storage compartment for smaller items next to the seat.
Strangely, I also seem to have a second pair of earphones.
The seat has a sliding door for privacy. The way the cabin is configured I cannot see the person on the other side of the aisle.
Even without the door, the seat feels quite private.
Amenities
At my seat is a small amenity kit with the usual contents, including a pair of good quality socks and eye shades. There’s also a seat cover, blanket and a nice fluffy pillow.
It’s not the most spectacular kit I’ve seen, but it serves its purpose.
The Service & Crew
The crew are a delight. It’s been a very long time since I had such a pleasant service. They’re helpful and proactively explain what’s going on every step of the way.
The service on the ground starts with a choice of still water, orange juice or cava.
The flight time is announced as nine hours and fifty minutes.
We push back from our stand thirty minutes late.
We take off towards the south and then make a sweeping left turn to point us towards the Caribbean coast for the Atlantic crossing.
I always find there’s something very special about a night time departure.
After take-off, the crew distribute warm towels ahead of the meal service.
The hot towel is presented on a small dish, which is a nice touch.
The Meal – Dinner
The menus are distributed while we’re still on the ground.
There is one menu that contains the dining options and the beverages list.
There are two options for the starter, and three for the main course and dessert.
The tray is delivered with the first course and two bread rolls. The cabin crew asks me if I prefer butter or olive oil with the rolls.
Homemade guacamole.
The guacamole is just lovely. It has a rich texture and a healthy dose of refreshing coriander.
This is quite an unusual dish for an airline meal.
With the starter there is also a choice of olives, cheese or nuts.
It doesn’t say on the menu what cheese it is.
The salt and pepper shakers are interesting.
For the main course, I have the spinach ravioli with ricotta and a tomato sauce. This is probably the best meal I’ve had all week!
This dish is, quite simply, divine.
The pasta has managed not to dry up during heating and the tomato sauce is rich and tart.
Dessert is also very nice and just the right size. With that, I have a mint tea.
Two hours after take-off, the meal service is done. The crew hand out little dark chocolate pralines and bottles of still water. I change into my sweatpants and turn the seat into a bed. The seat is incredibly comfortable to lie in.
And then I sleep for a solid six hours.
The Second Service – Breakfast
One hour before landing, the lights go on and the breakfast service begins. I have the omelet with zucchini, mushrooms, and sausage (I don’t eat the sausage).
The tray is served with a roll, a croissant and butter and jam. To drink I have coffee and orange juice.
Time to open the shades and take a peek outside.
Arrival in Madrid
Just after we cross the border from Portugal into Spain, we start a slow descent into Madrid.
There is quite a bit of snow up on the hills just north of Madrid.
We land and have only a short taxi to our stand on the satellite Terminal 4S.
The satellite 4S is used for non-Schengen flights, which are mostly long-haul.
Conclusion
This flight with Iberia was an unexpected pleasure and an absolue delight. The cabin is very nice and my seat on 1C was spacious and comfortable. The fact that I slept for six hours solid says it all. The crew were genuinely friendly and warm, and very attentive. And the food was great too. I think I should have chosen Iberia for this trip from the start, and saved myself the aggravation.
That was an Ultra quick trip William—- business or pleasure?—-how long were you there? Surprised that IB offer no fewer than 3 daily flights to Bogota!. The A350 is a great looking plane.
Hi Peter
I was there for a whole week for work. I’m still baffled by Bogotà, I must say. Nice to be back!
Hi William——Thanks for the reply.i think its the way you post that gave the impression of a 2 day visit!!!. Bogota intrigues me too. Ive heard that its a fairly Violent place,and that you have to keep your wits about you—–Maybe an old wives tale. Best,Peter
They’ve really made a lot of improvements over the years since the end of the war. But they slowly seem to be slipping back into their old ways.
No sign of Madrid-Amsterdam post
Standby. Bit of a malfunction with the scheduling.
I really dont know!!!! service nowadays aint what it was!—— Regarding the Rm Williams——- at least 20 years ago had a pair in ‘burgundy’—–loved them[everyone else did too] ——– stylish but with subtlety!—– there are various versions but i go for the ones with a squarish toe!.
😂 I do apologize! I think with the RCs you need to be patient. The leather expands.
Why Apologise???????——— re the RM Williams.
Thanks W——- find your travels fascinating!!!
Right now I just find them very exhausting.
But thanks!
Their new suites look good. The same seat in the older style always makes you feel exposed on the aisle, but having the door helps avoid that.
What is up with the tray table? On the one hand it looks like it still folded in half but also too big for the meal blankets?
In any case, looks like Iberia has a solid underrated service now overall.
Yeah, the tray table was strange. First, I thought I needed to fold it open or something. But I think it’s just an odd shape.
Also, one heck of a pre-boarding security check! Makes the one you get from Saudia look tame lol
I found it quite intimidating, I must say. Why, what do Saudia do?
Basically right before boarding any flight to KSA, regardless of the airline, they check your carry on and frisk you. But no drug sniffing dogs or having us face the wall with our hands up…granted, the last that happened to me was 2021, so I’m not sure if they still do this.
I don’t remember that. It’s been a while since I visited.