I’m not going to do a full review here, it was just a relatively short (1hr 55min scheduled) domestic flight and, to be honest, there was just nothing special to merit a full blown review, sorry Aerolineas Argentinas! We were flying on an Embraer 190, flying under the brand Austral.

The booking process had been ok, easy enough to navigate the website and I was able to book two front row seats (1C/D) in the Club/Premium Economy cabin. Unlike Latam, who we have used to book most flights within Argentina and Brazil (i.e. wherever possible because of their OneWorld alliance), Aerolineas Argentinas were pretty much totally unresponsive to any advance query - Latam, through social media, were exemplary and immediately responsive for pretty much every query we had.

The airport, the smaller of the two in Buenos Aires and seemed more serviced for domestic flights, was easily accessible from our hotel in Puerto Madero, a short drive along the side of the water. On check-in, we were looking for a priority queue but couldn’t obviously find this. We did go to check-in 20, I think it was, where there seemed to be no queue - the check-in operative (a male) said we had to join the other queue for (southern) flights, although technically I think Mendoza is actually just slightly north, through mainly west, of Buenos Aires. We asked if there was only one queue (remember we are British) so the conversation was a bit confused over whether we were talking line or queue (same thing depending on where you come from) - he specifically said there was only one line. I showed my home printed boarding pass which clearly showed Club/Premium Economy but he said there was no priority check-in and only one line. After joining the rather long line/queue for southern flights, we eventually got to check-in desk 21 (yes, right next door to the man where we first started) - this time the operative (female) was so much nicer and apologised but said we would need to adjust our luggage. Both cases were 27kg and 29kg respectfully, perfectly acceptable by British Airways and most other airlines, but apparently not by Aerolineas Argentinas.

She explained that we would need to either check-in some of the weight in another bag, apparently two bags of 23kg each are fine, but nothing more than 23kg in one. Not having a spare bag packed, which ironically I would normally have, she helpfully suggested we go to the “wrap” place, take out some items and get them wrapped as a separate item. She said once we’d done this to either go back direct to her counter (to avoid having to queue again) or to use the Sky Priority queue next door - we explained we were told there wasn’t one, and by who (man sitting next right to her) who clearly knew there was a fast track queue and hadn’t bothered to want to tell us.

The attendant on the wrap station was incredibly helpful, weighing our cases until we got back to 23kg each and made amazingly suitcase shaped parcels from our random bits of luggage extracted from our suitcases, complete with a “shrink wrap” handle for ease. A bit silly though (in hindsight), we both did this individually from the excess baggage and ended up with another two pieces, paying 350 pesos for each wrapped bundle. Now we think about, not sure why we didn’t combine the excess into one package (as this would still have been well under the 23kg limit) and save ourselves 350 pesos (and having to carry another “bag”) - sometimes things aren’t that obvious until well after the event!

We eventually got checked in ok after that, now seeing the Sky Priority check in area, and went upstairs to gate 5 ready for boarding the flight. The flight boarded on time, there was a separate announcement first for Sky Priority customers, but then rather annoyingly we had to go and stand on a bus to wait until this was full. The plane boarded ok, this is probably where my review dissipates as the plane was ok, dated, but the two front seats really spacious with decent leg room, comfortable enough and an inflight entertainment screen on the wall in front with USB charger, though there seemed to be nothing on the in-flight entertainment system except a really appealing photo of Iguassu Falls, where we go next after Mendoza. The business class cabin was configured as 2-2, three rows on one side and two on the other, so only 10 passengers in total - the cabin was full, and the rest of the flight seemed busy too.

Just when we thought there was going to be no in flight service whatsoever, the flight attendant at the front, who had sat for at least 40 minutes after take off doing paperwork or something, was joined by another attendant coming to the front and tabards were put on, indicating that there was going to be something. We were each given a tray with a wrap and a small bag of salted peanuts. I asked if it was vegetarian, the flight attendant said it was, while inspecting what was in it - apparently tuna, tomato, cheese and lettuce, so yes it was vegetarian! I did mention that tuna wasn’t for a vegetarian, but she maintained it was so decided just to say thank you and concentrate on the peanuts instead. The other flight attendant then came down with a tray of what we initially thought were muffins, but having the look (and feel) more like a cricket ball wrapped in wax paper, we assumed it actually wasn’t a muffin, or if it was it had seen much better days. Turned out to be two biscuit like lumps, stuck together in the wrap to disguise as a muffin - really dry and not very appealing. There was also a (soft) drink beverage service, which was then repeated after they had served all customers.

All in all, after a disappointing start with check-in, the flight was pleasant enough (though nothing to write home about), the two flight attendants friendly with decent English and the flight arrived into Mendoza on time.