Caribbean Airlines is no Cockroach Express!
Written: Jul 31 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great service, clean planes, good food.
Cons: Slow airports
The Bottom Line: If you are able to travel on a Monday, Wednesday, of Saturday, then this airline is for you!
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| islandalex's Full Review: Caribbean Airlines |
Caribbean Airlines
When I think of “Caribbean airlines†I think of little propeller planes island hopping between little patches of emerald paradise. Half the time I end up on those little planes I don’t dare to use the food tray for fear of disturbing the nesting cockroaches.
The real Caribbean Airlines is no cockroach express! Caribbean Airlines acquired the staff and safety record if BWIA when it ceased operations in December 2006. The BWIA planes always looked a little shabby to me, and the landings were sometimes rough, but it had a good track-record and was a very popular airline.
I recently had to make a short round trip hop, and Caribbean Airlines provided the most direct route. Also, as it used a large modern jet (Boeing 737-800), it took half the time of the smaller carriers.
Armed with some good words from friends I went to the website (caribbean-airlines.com) to book my tickets. At the last moment (after seat and meal selection), it told me that the name on the credit card had to be the same as the name on at least one of the tickets. Oops, no good when it is a company card! Luckily the local travel agent was able to book me on, but the lost time meant that all the coach tickets were sold out for my trip. Business was only $40 more, so I booked the ticket anyway.
When you book online, you get a huge choice of meal selections, from kosher, to vegetarian, to gluten free, to spiced! The travel agent never offered me a choice.
The airport in Jamaica (KIN) needs its own separate review! It was total chaos. You needed to show tickets to get into the airport, which is hard when everyone has e-tickets! Luckily I had a copy of my itinerary on me. The line was long, and looked to be in complete chaos. Boy did I wish I was in business for this leg!
Luckily the ground agents proved to be very quick, and the check-in only took about half an hour. However, one roving agent did keep on telling me that my wheeled carry-on would be too big for the plane. Luckily at the desk they said it would be fine.
The rest of the process through the airport was chaotic, with the flight being delayed about half an hour. Boarding was equally chaotic, with everyone being called at once, rather than in rows.
Coach was the same as any other airline I have ever flown on, seats comfy enough, but not enough room to avoid arm-rest awkward moments. There was some confusion with seats, and the stewardess was there promptly to direct everyone to the correct seat.
The pilot made the normal announcement to welcome everyone to the flight, but I feel he went just a little bit extra to tell us a bit more about what we would be flying over, conditions, and what to look out for.
Take-offs and landings were smooth and gentle, and the flight was turbulence free.
Lunch was served, with a choice between beef or fish. The beef was over-salted, but came with tasty peas & rice. The salad was a bit wilted, and the bread stale as usual. Soft-drinks were offered before, during, and after the meal. Tea/Coffee was also offered at the end of the meal. Service was always friendly and polite.
Overall, the coach experience was far more pleasant than the little island-hoppers. How much better was business going to be?
When I checked-in in SXM it was quick, with only a handful of people waiting to see the two check-in agents. It wasn’t necessary to be in the business class line! I had no checked luggage, and the process only took a few minutes with a very polite agent. The airport was so much better organized than Kingston, and the flight left right on time. We were joining a flight that had departed in Barbados, but the business class was still neat and clean.
The seats were definitely designed for short-haul flights. They were wide and comfortable, but they did not have much legroom or pitch!
Service in business was good, but no better than in coach. The food was remarkably better. I had breaded chicken stuffed with local spinach. It was very tasty, and seasoned well for flight food! It also came with a selection of nice rolls, and a fresh mango salsa. The salad was also disappointingly wilted and the wine selection was very small (red, or white mam). All the food had a distinct Caribbean flair, and I would be interested to see what the special-order meals are like.
All around, I enjoyed the airline. It was comfortable, new, and felt safe. The stewards and stewardesses were all dressed smartly but comfortably, and went about their job with a smile.
The airplanes do not look brand-new, but the upholstery was all good, and there were no stains or marks on the carpets. The only down side to this service is that it flies one route Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and another the rest of the week, so travel might be dictated by the available itinerary.
For price and convenience I would recommend this airline any day. It stands out over the other Caribbean airlines!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
islandalex
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Location: Neth. Antilles
Reviews written: 39
Trusted by: 14 members
About Me:
I'm an island girl. I love traveling, gadgets,and splurging on beauty products!
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