9YCAL From Trinidad and Tobago, joined Feb 2008, 148 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 months 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 6169 times:
POS/SXM/KIN
BW418
20-02-09
9Y-POS
Capt. David Shepperd
I checked in the day before using the web check-in facility. Since I was carrying 1pc checked lugguge, I still had to arrive at the airport 3hrs before departure time. The good thing about web check-in is that you don't use the same check-in line everyone uses at the CAL counters.
Check-In time this morning is 10.30am with a 1.30pm departure. I arrived at Piarco Int'l at 10.50am, checked in at 10.55am. The proceedure took about 5mins. and I was done, free to do what I wanted before heading to the depature gate. I was travelling with a group of nine other people, I received a call from one of them stating that they would be arriving at the airport a little later than what was expected. At 12.25 when I proceeded to inform the agents at the counter about the group late arrival and the reason for their tardiness, I was told that the flight would close in about 5 mins. Normally the close off time for a flight is 1/2 hour before departure time or so I taught, I was told then its 1 hour before departure time. There wasn't any sign of my travelling companions! At 12.30 I was asked if I wanted to stay in Trinidad and wait for my friends because the flight was about to close. To cut a long story short, let's just say we all made the flight in the nick of time.
The line at the Security check point was progressing slowly and the flight was boarding already so I did not get a chance to take any photos by the gate, I had to board the aircraft immediately!
Push back from the gate was on time, exactly at 1.30pm. Capt David Sheppard was in command of this Boeing 738 aircraft. Our first and only stop would be Princess Julliana Airport (SXM) St Maarten, the flying time would be approxamately 1 hour 30 mins.
Air side Piarco Int'l Airport
Flying over the clouds enroute to SXM.
On this sector POS/SXM a bevrage service was done.
We started our desent into SXM at 2.45pm and we touched down at 3.10pm local time. Ground time in SXM would be 35mins.
Air France and Delta tails at SXM
9Y-POS was pushed back from its parking position at 3.45pm, no gate today! Flying time to Jamaica (KIN) would be 2 hrs 10mins. When departing SXM you normally have a long wait at the end of the taxiway before burning rubber on the runway. BW418 did not escape the waiting period which lasted close to 10 mins. We finally rotated from rwy 9 at 4.05pm
This sector SXM/KIN had a snack and bevrage service. The snack consisted of a ham and cheese croissant, a chocolate wafer and a bevrage of your choice.
For this sector one would expect to be entertained by either audio or the Caribbean Essence feature, for what ever the reason none of the above was done.
Jamaica is 1hr behind the Eastern Caribbean. We landed at Norman Manely Int'l (KIN) at 5.15pm. The airport has been upgraded since I visited last in the 80's to include jet bridges and modern facilities. Immigration was a breeze, the line was short and no hassle either from the Immigration officer or the Customs Officer. I was out of the arrival hall in about 20 mins.
An air jamaica airbus A321 at one of the gates at the KIN facility.
Awesome trip report albeit a bit short. Great photos.
Quoting 9YCAL (Thread starter): Immigration was a breeze, the line was short and no hassle either from the Immigration officer or the Customs Officer. I was out of the arrival hall in about 20 mins.
AA1818 From Trinidad and Tobago, joined Feb 2006, 2763 posts, RR: 7 Reply 2, posted (11 months 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 6105 times:
Good service?
Smiling FAs?
Was the drink service to SXM and the snack service to KIN sufficient in your opinion? (Im just asking- not trying to stir anything up!)
What improvements other than obviously the entertainment would you recommend for CAL?
What improvements at Piarco can be made?
Are there any suggestions for KIN to make arrival better/ easier- it sounds from your trip report like they run a very efficient operation there- wish we could mimic that in POS!
Quoting AA1818 (Reply 2): Was the drink service to SXM and the snack service to KIN sufficient in your opinion?
I think they can improve on that beverage service by giving you the sandwich with it and make the snack service a meal. On the 414 they serve lunch. I guess its the time of day and also a bit of cost cutting.
Quoting AA1818 (Reply 2): What improvements other than obviously the entertainment would you recommend for CAL?
Just the meal service. lol
Quoting AA1818 (Reply 2): What improvements at Piarco can be made?
Are there any suggestions for KIN to make arrival better/ easier- it sounds from your trip report like they run a very efficient operation there- wish we could mimic that in POS!
None. Once you follow the instructions given, re documents , baggage etc ... you are fine.
BW424 From Trinidad and Tobago, joined Sep 2008, 753 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (11 months 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 5938 times:
Great TR 9YCAL!
I'm really sorry to hear about your group being late.That really really irks me, and if I were you,I would have found it hard to keep my cool.I couldn't imagine how you must of felt,being at the airport way before time,only to know you might not go because of the tardiness of your group!!
Quoting 9YCAL (Reply 4): Thanks! I edited the script because I didn't want to bore people! lol
I don't think you will bore people.It's always a pleasure reading a very detailed report....
Your Imagination Is A Preview of Coming Attractions........
SCL767 From Chile, joined Feb 2006, 3435 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 5757 times:
Great TR! Very informative, SXM can be a fun airport. Nice pics of the in-flight service. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
SCL767
Quoting 9YCAL (Reply 3): Just the meal service. lol
I've noticed that BW was a bit inconsistent on the trip I took last year. On the BW414 POS-BGI sector, no drinks or anything else for that matter were offered in the Business cabin during the 35 min long flight. However, on the return flight, BW 415, which is also 35 min long; the F/A's came around and offered beverages and a little snack during the short flight. A bit strange for BW, given their commitment to customer service.
Kappel From Suriname, joined Jul 2005, 2993 posts, RR: 8 Reply 8, posted (11 months 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 5409 times:
Good to hear they are flying on time. What is their average on time performance (if you know)? A friend of mine will be flying PBM-POS-JFK-POS-PBM in a while, so I'm curious what she can expect.
BW424 From Trinidad and Tobago, joined Sep 2008, 753 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (11 months 2 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 5220 times:
Quoting Kappel (Reply 8): Good to hear they are flying on time. What is their average on time performance (if you know)? A friend of mine will be flying PBM-POS-JFK-POS-PBM in a while, so I'm curious what she can expect.
Their on-time performance is way baove industry standards.Most times their flights leave early(sometimes up to 25mins),so don't be surprised if you friend has some early arrivals and departures.
Your Imagination Is A Preview of Coming Attractions........
Kappel From Suriname, joined Jul 2005, 2993 posts, RR: 8 Reply 11, posted (11 months 2 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 5156 times:
Quoting SCL767 (Reply 9): For January 2009 BW's OTP was 91%.
Quoting BW424 (Reply 10): Their on-time performance is way baove industry standards.Most times their flights leave early(sometimes up to 25mins),so don't be surprised if you friend has some early arrivals and departures.
Alright thanks. That's indeed really good. I heard some bad stories in the past in this respect, but I guess this is exactly that... in the past!
Do you guys know where they perform the maintenence on their 738's?
SCL767 From Chile, joined Feb 2006, 3435 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (11 months 2 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 5146 times:
Quoting Kappel (Reply 11): Do you guys know where they perform the maintenence on their 738's?
In-house, at POS MX.
According to Captain Ian Brunton, executive vice-president operations at Caribbean Airlines, "Once it has three or four 737 C-checks "under its belt" the airline will begin seeking third party work. "This could be in about another year or so," says Brunton, who will not be rushed. He is being careful to deliver on promises made to the board. "We knew there were risks and that the board was looking very hard at whether there were overruns on the C-check," says Brunton. So far those risks are being managed."
Trintocan From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2000, 2838 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (11 months 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 4913 times:
Brilliant trip report 9Y-CAL, your photos did the talking. It's refreshing to see a trip report from good old Trinidad and BW's most important route, the run to KIN. Granted it is not the classic milk run but still it is the pivotal route uniting Caricom.
I have not flown to KIN in 9 years - when I last did it was on JM out from POS and the return was on BW via SXM, ANU and BGI, a result of JM cancelling my flight and then BW combining a non-stop flight with the milk service. I wrote about my experiences on this board too. I glad to see that things are so smooth now - and that KIN has jetway bridges in place.
Well done to you 9Y-CAL, to new BW and all who made your experience so good. Too bad about the IFE though.
Kappel From Suriname, joined Jul 2005, 2993 posts, RR: 8 Reply 15, posted (11 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 4259 times:
Quoting 9YCAL (Reply 14): Thanks a lot. It was my first TR. All the positive comments from everyone has encouraged me to do a TR when I travel on CAL. in the future.
Yes please do. It's always nice to see some trip reports from airlines in the Caribbean (such as Caribbean airlines, lol).
Quoting SCL767 (Reply 12): So far those risks are being managed
I hope they perform the maintenance well. Anyway, the past shows they are a safe airline, so let's hope that records stays in tact.
CaribbeanAir From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (10 months 1 week 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 3104 times:
Nice and very informative TR on CAL's milk-run to KIN. I fly to KIN often with CAL and the service is quite remarkable, considering that the flight is composed of three sectors! CAL's flight crews are very professional and friendly indeed!
EWRkid1990 From United States of America, joined Mar 2009, 75 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (10 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 3045 times:
Looks like BW replaced the brown leather ATA seats they had in coach with their own brand....shame, the ATA ones were pretty comfy for a 4 1/2 hour flight! Great report, I'm always glad to see more and more accounts of BW flights on airliners!!
-EWRkid1990
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