Not the best, but not the worst either
Written: Aug 15 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Newer equipment (except the MD 83s). Generally hassle-free TO Jamaica
Cons: Rarely on-time when traveling Northbound. Montego Bay is a nightmare
The Bottom Line: All in all, I would recommend it, but realize that "the new Air Jamaica" is not perfect and is a work in progress.
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| alouden's Full Review: Air Jamaica |
I have flown Air Jamaica many, many times and have had both good and bad experiences. The good: with the exception of the MD 83s used on the Chicago to Montego Bay run, their aircraft are relatively new and well maintained. I have flown on their MD 83s twice. I found it quite uncomfortable. It's a good thing they have only two and they plan to get rid of them. Traveling southbound to Jamaica is usually hassle-free, though there can be excessive crowding during peak season. In my experience, connecting through Montego Bay southbound (in my case to Kingston) has never been a problem and is quite easy. There are no lines to wait on besides the line to board. You simply sit and await your boarding announcement. I have found the staff generally quite accommodating if there are unexpected delays (specifically, twice my connecting flight was late and twice I was placed on alternate flights, and once my flight was late and I was again reaccommodated without a problem, save for the delay). The quality of food varies. Their breakfast will not kill you, but it's nothing to write home about. Dinners are usually quite tasty, though not as good as it used to be. And their safety record is second to none. In my experience, their customer service is quite good and I have never had a problem with their flight attendants, though I realize that there are others who can share unpleasant stories.
Now for the bad: connecting through Montego Bay in the afternoons (i.e. northbound to the United States) can be a nightmare. Sure, you just need to sit and wait for them to announce the flight, but often three or four flights board simultaneously and the departure concourse often is a madhouse. It is not likely that this presents a major problem, since they check boarding passes carefully. However, the facilities at Montego Bay are presently inadequate and clearly need to be expanded to accommodate the increased traffic. Consequently, do not be surprised if your return flight northbound is late. I have had flights depart anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours late. As far as hubs go, Montego Bay leaves much to be desired (they do plan to upgrade the facilities). Checking in at Montego Bay can also be a nightmare. Since all flights to the US depart about the same time, please take the advice to check in 2 hours prior to departure seriously. This is less of a problem Stateside (except during Christmas season and late July). The facilities at Kingston tend to be more confortable, and flights there do not all depart at the same time.
I personally have never had a problem with flight cancellations nor have I ever been bumped from a flight. In fact, they once accommodated me for travel when they could have rightfully told me to go home. That's another long story. The worst experience I have had with them was a flight to New York from Kingston that was delayed 8 hours. The delay was due to damage the aircraft suffered on the ground in New York. The delay was frustrating, but the airline did supply another aircraft and called to notify passengers of the delay.
Finally, since all airlines, including Air Jamaica overbook, you really do need to check in early to avoid being bumped from a flight.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
alouden
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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