Covid 19 Delta One Review, 767-300, Atlanta to Buenos Aires

Posted By Jon Nickel-D'Andrea on Jul 14, 2021 | 3 comments

Just this past month we had the chance to head down to Buenos Aires, Argentina just before the country went into full lockdown. Covid cases and deaths are on the rise, and US airlines are now being limited by the Argentine government as to their frequencies. Currently as of the time of writing, due to Covid 19 and the Delta variant, they are only allowing 600 people per day to enter the country.

We managed to snag one of the last seats on the Delta 767-300 in Delta One. Service wasn’t too different from pre-pandemic but there are some notable changes that deserve a mention.

Boarding

Wow.

The Argentine government requires that every passenger have a negative Covid test from within 72 hours before departure. The problem lies in that the government also forced the US airlines to cancel flights and reschedule people last minute, forcing many people to be denied boarding since their covid test had expired.

We waited over an hour to have someone check our information, and saw at least a dozen people be denied at the gate. Word to the wise folks… follow the rules and make sure that you’re aware of all testing requirements that the government asks of you.

Seating

Seats on the 767-300, and almost all of the Delta One flights, vary quite a bit. The footwells are the biggest difference for me, as someone who is 6’3†I need to have some space to sleep, otherwise my feet get pinched in the narrow footwell.

The secret here is to always get the bulkhead if available. There’s not any narrowing of the footwell so your feet will have free reign, and it’s the roomiest of all the seats on the airplane.

There is one downside to sitting in the first row, and it doesn’t become obvious until you’ve already taken off.

Yes, you’re near the bathroom, which is normally fine. The big difference here is that the light outside of the bathroom stall door makes it seem like you’re in an 80’s disco hall. It’s on ALL THE TIME and never turns off. If you’re a light sleeper, make sure that you have an eye mask otherwise the light will penetrate even the most solid of eyelids.

Other than that, the seating is fantastic, I appreciate that the person behind us is offset one seat, so they’re not kicking your seat all night long.

Meals

It’s no secret that airlines are looking to cut costs, and food and beverage service is one of the easiest. While the domestic routes have suffered a lot, international Delta One business class service is still serving a proper meal.

Menus were distributed beforehand, but we wanted to make sure to get the meal we wanted, so we ordered in the app. I chose the beef and Ben chose the fish.

The meals are all plated and dropped off together, including the dessert. Don’t worry about the ice cream melting… it’s so cold that you’re gonna need some time for it to become un-solid!

The beef and fish both LOOK disgusting, but the flavors were on point. With the exception of Emirates and Etihad, who really has experienced super sexy amazing food plating, anyway?!

Pumpkin Soup Appetizer

Lamb, Anyone?

Other Things to Note

Food service, drink service, blankets, pillows, all of that is still generally the same. There are a few other things to note when you’re doing a long flight.

10 hours is a long time to have a face mask. If you don’t have a “face mask neck extender” consider getting a pack. They’re under $5 and will save your ears. Also, they’re a ton more comfortable wearing them with headphones and for sleeping.

Expect delays upon arrival. When we landed in Buenos Aires we had to go through a mandatory covid test and waiting area. After we got out test, we were relegated to a testing area where we waited around 25 minutes for the results to appear. It wasn’t too bad, but if you have a reservation waiting for you when you land, it could take more time.

Delays will happen. Even though the Fly Delta app told us that it was time to board…

The actual departures board showed that we were going to take off at 906pm.

Be flexible. Things will not happen at the same pace as they did before, nor will they make sense like they used to before. We have to learn that change is here and more changes will be coming.

Have you flown during Covid? What’s your experience been like?