During my most recent trip to Brazil, I flew Delta Air Lines in economy class from Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro. Here is a review of my experience — and what you might expect when you fly. (And don’t forget you can read detailed airline flight reviews for a variety of airlines and aircraft in LatinFlyer’s Airline Review section — remember, not all airlines are created equal!)
THE ROUTE: Atlanta — Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Rio de Janeiro — Antonio Carlos Jobim/Galeão International Airport (GIG); 9 hours, 9 minutes; Boeing 767-400ER; economy class.
THE AIRPORT: I connected in Atlanta on a flight from New York’s LaGuardia airport, so I took the underground train to reach gate E10. Gate agents made an announcement that they needed to check the passports of U.S. travelers before they started boarding, most likely to make sure that we all had the requisite visas to visit Brazil. That process was fast, and boarding began on schedule.
THE AIRCRAFT: Even though I am still gold elite status with the Delta Skymiles frequent flyer program, my reservations warned that I was not eligible for an upgrade on this flight. The economy class on this Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-400ER featured the following:
Pillows and blankets on seats? Yes
Airline seating: Seats have wings on headrests, and AC outlets between seats.
Free airline food? Yes — following the distribution of hot paper towels, Delta’s free airline meals on this overnight flight included dinner (chicken or pasta, with salad, roll, rice, veggies, crackers and cheese and a Love and Quiches triple chocolate brownie). About an hour and a half before landing, a small free breakfast was served with a small, warm croissant sandwich, yogurt and orange juice.
In-flight entertainment: Seatback screens with a good selection of free movies, HBO, Showtime and TV channels. Headphones were distributed free of charge, but I used my own.
THE ARRIVAL: Immigration was relatively fast at the Rio de Janeiro international airport, and I didn’t check bags so passed quickly through customs as well. I looked for improvements that are supposedly being made to the airport in preparation for the World Cup and the Olympics, but didn’t notice anything different.
MORE AIR TRAVEL TIPS:
• How to Get the Best from Latin America’s Low-Cost Airlines
• Class Conscious: Are All Airlines Equal in Business Class?
• LatinFlyer’s Airline Review section: The Inside Scoop on What to Expect On Board
******
Special travel deals for readers of LatinFlyer.com:
Dunhill Vacations TripAdvisor — 4-star Raffaello Hotel in Chicago, $87+
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!