Don't book exit row seats on Flybondi if you can't speak Spanish.

[petef]

Hi Just a heads up for anyone planning on using Budget Airline Flybondi in South America, we were denied the use of the exit row seats we had paid extra for because we did not speak Spanish.

Luckily there was row 1 and 2 spare and gave us a row each in place of the exit row seats, with some free food and drinks. So ended up better in the end.

We did not have this issue on Latam for internal South American flights in the exit rows.

Other than the seat issue we were happy with the flights.

Flybondi is an all 737-800 operator, the planes we caught were ex Garuda around 12 years old.

The crew were great, flights on time.

The only a couple of negatives
1. When we booked last year, everything was extra, including any cabin baggage that you couldn't put at your feet. (They seem to include some allowance for cabin baggage now).
2. The cabin could have done with a deep clean.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the heads-up.

This is actually good advice for anyone travelling on an airline where english is not the first language. It lays the check the exit row requirements as you might be ineligible to sit there if you can’t speak that language.

 

[SYD]

Fortunately hablo un poquito español but yes, if the poo hits the fan the crew probably want peeps to fully understand what they’re screaming about (as opposed to normal rapid speaking).

Somewhat ironically, Spanish is more and more being spoken around me in the Eastern Suburbs of SYD (including Bondi!). Curious where they got the name?

 

[petef]

Thanks for the heads-up.

This is actually good advice for anyone travelling on an airline where english is not the first language. It lays the check the exit row requirements as you might be ineligible to sit there if you can’t speak that language.

When we booked last year there was no mention of Spanish in the Exit Seat FAQ, or when selecting the seat during the booking process. It just had the normal over 15yo, physically fit, good hearing, not pregnant.

I did tell them I understood Varmus and Rapido, but that apparently was not enough.

They now have an amended FAQ with a few additional entries.

Can I ride in an emergency exit?​

In order to be located in the seats of the emergency exit, the following requirements must be met:

• Be older than 15 years
• Be able to read, understand and communicate in Spanish
• Not being pregnant
• Do not need the supplement for the extension of the seat belt
• You must not travel in charge of another passenger who requires their assistance or care
• Have enough mobility, balance and dexterity to get out quickly, helping other passengers.
• Have the hearing and visual capacity , which allows to understand the instructions given by crew members and give vital information to other passengers
• Be willing to assist other passengers if necessary

Somewhat ironically, Spanish is more and more being spoken around me in the Eastern Suburbs of SYD (including Bondi!). Curious where they got the name?

Bondi is a slang term for bus (though Google translate doesn't show it) both in Spanish & Portuguese, so Flybondi is a flybus. This is quite appropriate, as there business model and some of the execs are from Ryanair.

 

[SYD]

Bondi is a slang term for bus (though Google translate doesn't show it) both in Spanish & Portuguese, so Flybondi is a flybus. This is quite appropriate, as their business model and some of the execs are from Ryanair.

Ah, yes a Sth American thing. I don’t recall that ever coming up in Spanish classes even though we usually had Sth Am teachers (who would cringe if you said ’coger el bus’…).

 

[docjames]

Stands to reason - I have seen pax moved from the exit row on QF (domestic flights on 738) for inability to speak/understand English.