Runway27 wrote:

[twoid]what do you guys think of the work being done at BGI airport? [/twoid]

The work got underway before Covid I never saw the point in making the airport A380 capable. The money would have been better spent installing jet bridges, speeding up the baggage collection times, installing a capable AC system in the departure lounge and doing the rehabilitation work on the tower.

windian425 wrote:

Huge investment in BGI now without a clear path to recovery. Hopefully this will serve the island for years to come.
Expect more investment in 2021 in the terminal buildings.

What exactly was done?

https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/01/25/wor ... ts-begins/


The cargo terminal at the GAIA was opened in 1972/3. Over the past 47 yrs this terminal has been become totally inadequate for the operations of an air cargo terminal. The recently announced contract as I understand it, will see the construction of a modern air cargo terminal. Many people underestimate the potential of Barbados as a transshipment airport for perishable cargo from South America to Europe. All of this traffic is currently transhipped through Miami International. This potential cannot be realized unless GAIA has modern air cargo handling facilities with cold and chiller room facilities.

Hence a dedicated ramp for private jets which will allow for parking spaces 1-6 to accomdate cargo jets.

Saying farewell to 9Y-SXM next week after 9 years of stellar svc
You served us faithfully, MSN 37935.

TriniA340 wrote:

Saying farewell to 9Y-SXM next week after 9 years of stellar svc
You served us faithfully, MSN 37935.

Is BW reducing its fleet size? If so which routes will they cut back?

As I wondered earlier up in the thread, BA has suspended ops @ LGW for the period of the current lockdown. This includes Caribbean operations:

ANU/BDA/KIN from Nov 12 to Dec 10
UVF from Nov 12 to Dec 9
BGI to be announced.


https://www.turningleftforless.com/news ... gibraltar/

caribny wrote:

TriniA340 wrote:

Saying farewell to 9Y-SXM next week after 9 years of stellar svc
You served us faithfully, MSN 37935.

Is BW reducing its fleet size? If so which routes will they cut back?

Well with C19, do they need their entire 737 fleet? I don't recall them talking about route cuts yet. POS is still closed. Remember by now they would have gotten their Max if not wholly, partly. Perhaps this frame was already scheduled to go. According to Planespotters, 9Y-SXM is the youngest in the fleet at 9 years.

Following the government's lockdown announcement BA will suspend its Caribbean routes as follows.

Barbados: 11 Nov - 9 Dec
Antigua and Barbuda: 13 Nov - 10 Dec
St Lucia: 13 Nov - 10 Dec
Grenada: 14 Nov - 9 Dec

Last flights from LGW to the stated islands are:
Antigua and Barbuda - Nov 6/7/8/9/11
St Lucia - Nov 6/7/8/9/11
Grenada - Nov 7/11
Barbados - Nov 7/9

The planned resumption dates for BA flights to the stated islands are:
Barbados - 10 Dec
St Lucia - 10 Dec
Antigua and Barbuda - 11 Dec
Grenada - 12 Dec

gunnerman wrote:

Following the government's lockdown announcement BA will suspend its Caribbean routes as follows.

Barbados: 11 Nov - 9 Dec
Antigua and Barbuda: 13 Nov - 10 Dec
St Lucia: 13 Nov - 10 Dec
Grenada: 14 Nov - 9 Dec

Last flights from LGW to the stated islands are:
Antigua and Barbuda - Nov 6/7/8/9/11
St Lucia - Nov 6/7/8/9/11
Grenada - Nov 7/11
Barbados - Nov 7/9

The planned resumption dates for BA flights to the stated islands are:
Barbados - 10 Dec
St Lucia - 10 Dec
Antigua and Barbuda - 11 Dec
Grenada - 12 Dec

Sadly I don't think these resumption dates will happen. I believe EW has also cancelled their flights to BGI.Its about to be a bleak winter in the Caribbean.

It looks as if this is solely LGW. BA is seemingly still operating their other LHR based Caribbean routes. e.g Heathrow - Barbados/ Heathrow -Grand Cayman. Probably subject to change.

BA's LHR flights will continue but with reduced frequency.

LHR-BGI will, after 10 November, will be on Fridays only until there is an additional flight on Saturday 5 December with the daily flights resuming from 9 December.

LHR-GCM is on Thursdays only. LHR-NAS-GCM will resume on 10 December.

LHR-NAS flights are cancelled until 7 December when frequency will be 4x weekly.

Today is supposed to be LI’s return to regularly scheduled service. Does anyone know yet what their new schedule looks like yet?

To see the Virgin Atlantic schedule (effective 8 November – 2 December 2020) visit https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/cont ... ule_V2.pdf

BGI and ANU will maintain VS service during the UK lockdown. Most of VS operations have been reduced significantly.

Taken from the VS thread:

https://demerarawaves.com/2020/11/04/vi ... -on-cards/

VS has apparently applied to start flights to GEO. Quite surprising IMO as:

a) that market isn’t big
b) VS usually focuses on the more tourism based markets and avoids the VFR routes in the Caribbean

I guess they are seeking to get as much revenue ex Caribbean as possible and a hypothetical tag from BGI for example, is not that risky. We see this with them adding SVD as well.

Brickell305 wrote:

Taken from the VS thread:

https://demerarawaves.com/2020/11/04/vi ... -on-cards/

VS has apparently applied to start flights to GEO. Quite surprising IMO as:

a) that market isn’t big
b) VS usually focuses on the more tourism based markets and avoids the VFR routes in the Caribbean

I guess they are seeking to get as much revenue ex Caribbean as possible and a hypothetical tag from BGI for example, is not that risky. We see this with them adding SVD as well.

Dropping UVF, the 3rd largest UK E/Carib market and adding SVD and GEO. This is Branson trying to squeeze money out of desperate countries. SVD will pay up. GEO may not as they have never had to. I don't even think that GEO knows that countries actually pay for service beyond waiving landing fees and certain taxes, and maybe covering ground costs.

Jamaica, which reopened its borders in June, has had more than 211,000 visitors while generating US$231.9 million in foreign exchange earnings. Most of the major airlines have resumed service including American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, United, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet, and Copa.
https://www.cndenglish.com/events/japex/japex-2020-jamaica-track-recovery

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but DL is running MSP-STT 3x weekly (Tu./Thu./Sat.) from December to early April with a 752.

I know SY has operated MSP-STT in the past but has NW/DL operated MSP-STT?

N292UX wrote:

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but DL is running MSP-STT 3x weekly (Tu./Thu./Sat.) from December to early April with a 752.

I know SY has operated MSP-STT in the past but has NW/DL operated MSP-STT?

Based on the new schedules it looks like this winter the USVI will enjoy a bumper season, with even STX getting brand new flights. Maybe people switching from other islands?

caribny wrote:

N292UX wrote:

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but DL is running MSP-STT 3x weekly (Tu./Thu./Sat.) from December to early April with a 752.

I know SY has operated MSP-STT in the past but has NW/DL operated MSP-STT?

Based on the new schedules it looks like this winter the USVI will enjoy a bumper season, with even STX getting brand new flights. Maybe people switching from other islands?

I am assuming there are no quarantine restrictions.

No quarantine for STT. However PCR testing within 5 days of arrival. Same thing for SXM, which is seeing a drastic increase in flights over the past week for Thanksgiving, including the inaugural B6 Mint service from EWR. Antigen testing is also now included in SXM. I suspect that the islands that have more loose restrictions are seeing an uptick in arrivals when compared to the others. St. Kitts I hear is also charging airlines for passengers not having the correct documentation or approvals.... must be hurting their arrivals. WM stopped flying into SKB almost as soon as they started because of this.

Any news on LI? I see the website launch date has come and gone.

fowlr29 wrote:

No quarantine for STT. However PCR testing within 5 days of arrival. Same thing for SXM, which is seeing a drastic increase in flights over the past week for Thanksgiving, including the inaugural B6 Mint service from EWR. Antigen testing is also now included in SXM. I suspect that the islands that have more loose restrictions are seeing an uptick in arrivals when compared to the others. St. Kitts I hear is also charging airlines for passengers not having the correct documentation or approvals.... must be hurting their arrivals. WM stopped flying into SKB almost as soon as they started because of this.

Any news on LI? I see the website launch date has come and gone.

Here is my suspicion about SKB. They are in a federation with NEV which is almost 100% dependent on tourism. I think that SKB is like T&T. They dont want to reopen. They have the best record on C19 control, see what is now happening, especially in SLU, and T&T for that matter . But NEV insists that they do so they are so strict that people who have spent less than 7 days on the island have to provide a negative test in order to DEPART the island, despite being in quarantine for this period. These tests cost US$150 for non residents. I am sure that they know that this means that most of their regulars will go elsewhere this coming season.

Even returning nationals arent spared. Either they stay in quarantine facilities at their own expense (US$600 inclusive of tests) or they pay US$2,200 for 24/7 security guard service if they stay in their homes, this being to ensure that they do not leave.

Not only is WM gone for the season, but so too are AC and BA. I assume that DL and UA will also sit this season out.

Gaston no longer speaks on LI. I suspect that he wants people to forget about that topic, after cussing down the rest of the OECS/BGI about being selfish.

fowlr29 wrote:

Any news on LI? I see the website launch date has come and gone.

PM Browne recently announced a Nov 30 start date. This date is also BGI's independence day. Im not sure if this is coincidence, or deliberate.

Inaugural service to BGI on the 30th then!....

AN-124 is coming to STX today. Expecting it to land around 17:00 Atlantic Time.

LimaFoxTango wrote:

fowlr29 wrote:

Any news on LI? I see the website launch date has come and gone.

PM Browne recently announced a Nov 30 start date. This date is also BGI's independence day. Im not sure if this is coincidence, or deliberate.

If so then what promotion have they done and why is their website still down? In these times it is even more difficult to get people on planes. Many islands have pulled out of the CARICOM bubble due to outbreaks in SLU.

caribny wrote:

LimaFoxTango wrote:

fowlr29 wrote:

Any news on LI? I see the website launch date has come and gone.

PM Browne recently announced a Nov 30 start date. This date is also BGI's independence day. Im not sure if this is coincidence, or deliberate.

If so then what promotion have they done and why is their website still down? In these times it is even more difficult to get people on planes. Many islands have pulled out of the CARICOM bubble due to outbreaks in SLU.

What you may or may not have noticed, is that all the plans on LI's return have all been made by PM Browne. At no point did LI make any announcement on any date relating to its return. That said, the constant delay and pushing back of start dates says alot.

LimaFoxTango wrote:

caribny wrote:

LimaFoxTango wrote:

PM Browne recently announced a Nov 30 start date. This date is also BGI's independence day. Im not sure if this is coincidence, or deliberate.

If so then what promotion have they done and why is their website still down? In these times it is even more difficult to get people on planes. Many islands have pulled out of the CARICOM bubble due to outbreaks in SLU.

What you may or may not have noticed, is that all the plans on LI's return have all been made by PM Browne. At no point did LI make any announcement on any date relating to its return. That said, the constant delay and pushing back of start dates says alot.

I refer to PM Browne's assertions. He doesnt have money to underwrite empty seats so the only way to reduce this is to promote and make it possible for people to book. I dont think he will want LI to be grounded in January.

The situation at LI is unsustainable. Per media interviews with the Administrator, the gov't of ANU has injected only US$1M, not the US$20M which had been suggested earlier. Staff has not been paid, including those staff that had been working to get the airline back in the air for the ceremonial flight to DOM.

https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/hom ... nistrator/

There is still no website, no planned schedule. How do they expect to get back in the air if they are not taking in cash?

Brickell305 wrote:

The situation at LI is unsustainable. Per media interviews with the Administrator, the gov't of ANU has injected only US$1M, not the US$20M which had been suggested earlier. Staff has not been paid, including those staff that had been working to get the airline back in the air for the ceremonial flight to DOM.

https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/hom ... nistrator/

There is still no website, no planned schedule. How do they expect to get back in the air if they are not taking in cash?

This should come as no surprise, LI is dead I doubt they can find the other 19 million to fund it.

Brickell305 wrote:

The situation at LI is unsustainable. Per media interviews with the Administrator, the gov't of ANU has injected only US$1M, not the US$20M which had been suggested earlier. Staff has not been paid, including those staff that had been working to get the airline back in the air for the ceremonial flight to DOM.

https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/hom ... nistrator/

There is still no website, no planned schedule. How do they expect to get back in the air if they are not taking in cash?

They expect to get back in the air with the hope and dreams of Gaston Browne. ANU does not have the capital laying around to start up LIAT again with the current environment. They already owe the Caribbean Bank loans for the ATRs, landing fees all over the Caribbean and they also owe employees money from severance.
Gaston has yet to explain how he will take care of all of this while the economy of ANU is not in good shape.

I hate to see LIAT go after all the years they have been in existence; its like losing BWIA again, however the airline's business model was unsustainable. And now that other airlines are finding opportunities to take up routes left by LI I am not sure what place this restarted LI will have when things get back to normal.

BW has started a weekly GEO-HAV service on Saturdays using the 738. Flights are routed via POS in both directions but passengers do not disembark. All passengers will be subject to PCR testing upon arrival into Cuba as well as quarantine (self-isolation or Government facility as the authorities see fit) for seven days.

LIAT has released a schedule for Nov 30 to Dec 15:

https://www.liat.com/schedule

The schedule include flights to ANU, DOM, BGI, GND, SLU, SVD and SKB.....

You cannot have regional unity without an ability to move people and cargo. I wish that Caribbean people stop living this MIA focused life. As a head of a chamber of commerce had to say if people buy from Amazon in the USA and do not patronize businesses located in their countries they cannot then demand employment.

So Caribbean gov'ts need to fix this regional problem or stop pretending as if CARICOM and the OECS exists.

I think LIAT has one aircraft which is being operated on five days a week with the other two days for maintenance. At best there are two in operation, which would be needed for a schedule increase.

DR with a new airline, Skycana, a joint venture betwen sky high, avin express and a group of resorts of Puerto Plata. First a/c arrived yesterday

https://infoturdominicano.com/rd/
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... i-a321-ops

Sunrise Haiti with a new wet lease https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1734069

LIAT has introduced its new baggage policy effective Nov. 30 when it returns to commercial service.

While customers will be allowed to carry on a small bag and personal item for free, their 1st Checked bag will cost US$10.

https://antiguanewsroom.com/liat-to-cha ... -each-way/

LimaFoxTango wrote:

LIAT has introduced its new baggage policy effective Nov. 30 when it returns to commercial service.

While customers will be allowed to carry on a small bag and personal item for free, their 1st Checked bag will cost US$10.

https://antiguanewsroom.com/liat-to-cha ... -each-way/

This is something I thought LI should have done long ago (with a higher price tag). People would have complained and argued but they likely would have had no choice but to fly LI. It would have increased revenue for the airline and to the extent that some people would have simply packed less and used only a carry on, it would have helped the airline immensely with weight issues and less bags to handle.

Now, it feels like a weird time to introduce this with passenger numbers at threadbare levels and much stronger competition than before.

Brickell305 wrote:

LimaFoxTango wrote:

LIAT has introduced its new baggage policy effective Nov. 30 when it returns to commercial service.

While customers will be allowed to carry on a small bag and personal item for free, their 1st Checked bag will cost US$10.

https://antiguanewsroom.com/liat-to-cha ... -each-way/

This is something I thought LI should have done long ago (with a higher price tag). People would have complained and argued but they likely would have had no choice but to fly LI. It would have increased revenue for the airline and to the extent that some people would have simply packed less and used only a carry on, it would have helped the airline immensely with weight issues and less bags to handle.

Now, it feels like a weird time to introduce this with passenger numbers at threadbare levels and much stronger competition than before.

I very much doubt that in 2020 excess baggage is a LIAT problem. Most of their market travels for short stays. Their connecting business with those arriving from international points has dropped off tremendously, even to islands like DOM. And with VS planning service to SVD, will drop even further. More than 50% of people traveling to BGI from GND, DOM, ANU and SKB are there for 1-3 days, suggesting a very high % for visa travel. Online purchases have now replaced that informal commercial activity that used to generate the heavy baggage problem out of places like SXM and SJU.

LI's big problem isn't heavy bags. It is reassuring people that LI is a safe option when they still havent refunded people for canceled travel, and their employees will likely be quite miserable given that slavery is once again a fact (people working and not getting paid). Booking a trip on a website of a company in bankruptcy just isn't reassuring. That is the first thing that you see when you go to their site.


Not sure what their route expansion plans are but I assume it will be on routes to the north. Their schedule doesn't indicate much focus on flights from BGI to the Windward Islands. Its very ANU focused. Those BGI routes are bleeding now as we see cancelations, even with sharply reduced airlift. Inter Caribbean arrived with plans for 2x daily service on these routes to each island. Now they struggle to fill a plane combining 2 islands with a daily flight. In these days travel will be essential meaning more focus on VFR.

caribny wrote:

Brickell305 wrote:

LimaFoxTango wrote:

LIAT has introduced its new baggage policy effective Nov. 30 when it returns to commercial service.

While customers will be allowed to carry on a small bag and personal item for free, their 1st Checked bag will cost US$10.

https://antiguanewsroom.com/liat-to-cha ... -each-way/

This is something I thought LI should have done long ago (with a higher price tag). People would have complained and argued but they likely would have had no choice but to fly LI. It would have increased revenue for the airline and to the extent that some people would have simply packed less and used only a carry on, it would have helped the airline immensely with weight issues and less bags to handle.

Now, it feels like a weird time to introduce this with passenger numbers at threadbare levels and much stronger competition than before.

I very much doubt that in 2020 excess baggage is a LIAT problem. Most of their market travels for short stays. Their connecting business with those arriving from international points has dropped off tremendously, even to islands like DOM. And with VS planning service to SVD, will drop even further. More than 50% of people traveling to BGI from GND, DOM, ANU and SKB are there for 1-3 days, suggesting a very high % for visa travel. Online purchases have now replaced that informal commercial activity that used to generate the heavy baggage problem out of places like SXM and SJU.

LI's big problem isn't heavy bags. It is reassuring people that LI is a safe option when they still havent refunded people for canceled travel, and their employees will likely be quite miserable given that slavery is once again a fact (people working and not getting paid). Booking a trip on a website of a company in bankruptcy just isn't reassuring. That is the first thing that you see when you go to their site.


Not sure what their route expansion plans are but I assume it will be on routes to the north. Their schedule doesn't indicate much focus on flights from BGI to the Windward Islands. Its very ANU focused. Those BGI routes are bleeding now as we see cancelations, even with sharply reduced airlift. Inter Caribbean arrived with plans for 2x daily service on these routes to each island. Now they struggle to fill a plane combining 2 islands with a daily flight. In these days travel will be essential meaning more focus on VFR.

I am very much in agreement which is why I said exactly that. The bag fee is something that would have helped years ago but just seems strange to implement now.

LIAT had its first flight today in months.....

https://antiguabreakingnews.com/busines ... ons-today/

The more options for the consumer the better....

B6 made some changes to its GEO schedule. It reduced service in December and in January, flights are down to 2x weekly and routed via SJU. I’m surprised they chose SJU as opposed to FLL. Yes, I get that it’s better geographically but I figure they might be able to pick up some traffic ex FLL.

Brickell305 wrote:

B6 made some changes to its GEO schedule. It reduced service in December and in January, flights are down to 2x weekly and routed via SJU. I’m surprised they chose SJU as opposed to FLL. Yes, I get that it’s better geographically but I figure they might be able to pick up some traffic ex FLL.

Interesting indeed can't the neo do this route nonstop?

baje427 wrote:

Brickell305 wrote:

B6 made some changes to its GEO schedule. It reduced service in December and in January, flights are down to 2x weekly and routed via SJU. I’m surprised they chose SJU as opposed to FLL. Yes, I get that it’s better geographically but I figure they might be able to pick up some traffic ex FLL.

Interesting indeed can't the neo do this route nonstop?

NEO can make it non-stop. They are most likely doing this due to demand.

danipawa wrote:

DR with a new airline, Skycana, a joint venture betwen sky high, avin express and a group of resorts of Puerto Plata. First a/c arrived yesterday

https://infoturdominicano.com/rd/
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... i-a321-ops

Good luck, according to different sources avion express just entered voluntarily bankruptcy protection...
Strange name for an airline out of Puerto Plata. The name SkyPlata would have been better assiociated with the region, as SkyCana like in PuntaCana...

danipawa wrote:

DR with a new airline, Skycana, a joint venture betwen sky high, avin express and a group of resorts of Puerto Plata. First a/c arrived yesterday

https://infoturdominicano.com/rd/
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... i-a321-ops

Good luck, according to different sources avion express just entered voluntarily bankruptcy protection...
Strange name for an airline out of Puerto Plata. The name SkyPlata would have been better assiociated with the region, as SkyCana like in PuntaCana...

tphuang wrote:

baje427 wrote:

Brickell305 wrote:

B6 made some changes to its GEO schedule. It reduced service in December and in January, flights are down to 2x weekly and routed via SJU. I’m surprised they chose SJU as opposed to FLL. Yes, I get that it’s better geographically but I figure they might be able to pick up some traffic ex FLL.

Interesting indeed can't the neo do this route nonstop?

NEO can make it non-stop. They are most likely doing this due to demand.

Demand is an unlikely reason or it would have stopped in FLL. There’s next to zero demand from SJU to GEO and that’s including potential connections to the USVI. I don’t see people from FLL connecting via SJU when there are two airlines with nonstops from MIA. With FLL, they’d have had the small but not insignificant VFR market plus potential connections to the Western Caribbean and US. They really get nothing from stopping at SJU.

Brickell305 wrote:

tphuang wrote:

baje427 wrote:

Interesting indeed can't the neo do this route nonstop?

NEO can make it non-stop. They are most likely doing this due to demand.

Demand is an unlikely reason or it would have stopped in FLL. There’s next to zero demand from SJU to GEO and that’s including potential connections to the USVI. I don’t see people from FLL connecting via SJU when there are two airlines with nonstops from MIA. With FLL, they’d have had the small but not insignificant VFR market plus potential connections to the Western Caribbean and US. They really get nothing from stopping at SJU.

I was saying demand is likely the reason they stopped flying non-stop from JFK. While SJU may have no-demand to GEO, it's a shorter flight than from FLL or JFK. They probably don't think they can pick up that much non-stop traffic from FLL. In terms of connection, SJU has about as many flights to JFK/BOS/EWR/BDL as FLL in Jan/Feb, which are probably where all the GEO demands come from.

Brickell305 wrote:

B6 made some changes to its GEO schedule. It reduced service in December and in January, flights are down to 2x weekly and routed via SJU. I’m surprised they chose SJU as opposed to FLL. Yes, I get that it’s better geographically but I figure they might be able to pick up some traffic ex FLL.

The VFR market for people from the English speaking Caribbean is slow, especially out of JFK. Note what is happening on the JFK KIN. Both B6and BW are below daily with no DL. Not sure what extras are planned for Xmas. Both PR and DR remain strong out of NY. Likely different attitudes to the pandemic and the fact that Zoom/Skype. etc., work quite well for Jamaicans and Guyanese.

SJU must be a technical stop because there is no business there. Maybe they have switched to the A320. The GEO VFR market is focused on YYZ, NY/NJ, MD/VA, GA, and FL. TX will generate more travel than BOS. Plus with AA running daily MIA GEO SoFL will be a tough market.

BW will be deliriously happy because Guyanese will NOT want a stop at SJU. I will suggest that this market isnt going to recover until Easter if Xmas is soft, because the mid Jan/March is very soft on this route.

9Y-SXM departed Piarco for the last time this morning (returning to lessor).