ORLANDO — This report covers my experience aboard Avianca (AV) flight 29 from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Bogotá El Dorado International Airport (BOG) on May 26. I had completed the opposite routing of this flight a few days prior as part of my return to Florida from Madrid. This is a separate trip.
Terminal C at MCO
Avianca operates from Terminal C at MCO, the airport’s newest facility. The terminal opened in recent years, and the difference from the older A and B sides is immediate. The concourses are airy and well-designed, with a finish that feels closer to a modern international hub than a mid-size Florida airport. It was a pleasant place to begin an international departure and reflects well on where MCO is headed as it continues to grow.
Boarding
Boarding at MCO presented one notable friction point. Despite a full flight, Avianca had only a single passport scanner operational at the gate, which funneled all passengers through one line regardless of boarding group.
The process moved slowly as a result, and the queue stretched back considerably before the gate area cleared. It is the kind of operational detail that does not reflect on the airline’s product but does affect the pre-departure experience in a way that would be easy to fix.
One additional note for travelers on this route: Colombia requires proof of onward travel, and Avianca’s system did not initially recognize my return flight to the United States, which was booked several weeks out on Delta…