Air Services: United Kingdom

A detailed guide to flights to Tobago from the UK

The following information is based on published 2005/2006 winter schedules. Do not use this information as the basis on which to make travel plans - always check with the airline or your travel agent first. Please notify us if you are aware of any inaccurate information below.

Hold your mouse over any Reader Satisfaction Rating (RSR) for further information. Click on the RSR rating to cast your own 'satisfaction' with those services you have experience of.

British Airways (BA)

British Airways offer Tobago flights on Thursdays and Sundays. From 1st October 2009, the service will operate on Wednesday and Sunday and from November 2010, on Monday and Friday. All flights are via Antigua.

The BA service utilises a Boeing 777 aircraft carrying 260 passengers in a three class configuration - standard economy (World Traveller), premium/super economy (World Traveller Plus) and business class (World Club) with 70" flat-bed seats. Flights operate from London Gatwick North.

 

* next day arrival

• Reader Satisfaction Rating [info]  RSR
• Baggage Allowance/Seat Pitch: click here
• Gatwick Accommodation: click here
• Further Information: British Airways

Caribbean Airlines/BWIA (British West Indies Airways)

Caribbean Airlines (previously BWIA) is the national airline of Trinidad & Tobago.

Unlike its predecessor, BWIA, Caribbean Airlines does not fly to the UK any longer. Instead, it operates a Code Share with British Airways. Please see the listing for BA for further details.

• Reader Satisfaction Rating [info]  RSR

 

 

Monarch Airlines / Golden Caribbean

The demise of XL Airways resulted in the welcome return of a previous London-Tobago flight service. The new service is administered by Golden Caribbean, an established West Susses-based tour operator who specialise in cheap Caribbean flights. The service is operated by Monarch Airlines.

Flying from Gatwick South each Wednesday from 17th December 2008, the service will offer a service to Tobago via Grenada, with a non-stop return from Tobago to London. The service will operate a two class service of Economy (3-3-3 seating) and Premium Economy (2-4-2) in an Airbus A330.

The previous Golden Caribbean / Monarch Tobago flights were highly regarded by many with the only consistent criticism being the very limited seat pitch in standard Economy. Apparently, two rows of seats have been taken out of the current aircraft allowing the economy seating to be increased to 31 inches – the same as BA and Virgin economy. The Premium Economy service offers improved catering and 34-inch seat pitch, as in the old Golden Caribbean - Monarch service.

Average winter 2008/09 prices are around £420 per person standard economy, with a £200 per seat surcharge for Premium Economy. Tickets are available by telephone or online from Golden Caribbean and will eventually be available through the Monarch website.

We wish Golden Caribbean and Monarch every success with the new service and look forward to flying to Tobago with them on our next trip.

* next day arrival

• Reader Satisfaction Rating [info]  RSR
• Gatwick Accommodation: click here
• Further Information: www.GoldenCaribbean.co.uk

XL Airways

XL Airways and their associated companies went into administration and Excel Tobago flights ceased on 12th September 2008. Some customers are protected from financial loss through the ATOL scheme. Other customers - specifically those who booked online through XL.com or through XL Call Centres, are NOT protected.

All XL flights have been cancelled. XL customers currently in Tobago should speak to the management of their hotel who will be in touch with the Tobago authorities and will be able to help in making arrangements for repatriation. The administrators of the XL group may be contacted on +44 208-242-4783.

Additional information will be posted here and in our Tobago discussion forum, as it becomes available.

 

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic operate a non-stop service to Tobago on Thursdays (was Monday until July 2005). There are plans to offer a second weekly flight, but this is dependent upon the completion of upgrades to Tobago's Crown Point airport.

The Virgin Tobago flights operate from London GatwickSouth. The flight continues to Grenada, where it drops off and collects passengers and returns to Tobago for refuelling and re-stocking before the overnight return to London. From December 2006, the entire aircraft is being granted to Tobago travellers, so the flight will not continue to Grenada.

The Virgin service utilises a Boeing 747-400 carrying 439 passengers in a three-class configuration; standard economy, premium economy and Upper Class (with super-dooper Upper Class suites).

Most tickets for this service are provided as part of package holidays with Virgin Holidays who offer some fantastic deals to Tobago from time to time. Flight-only tickets are available directly from Virgin Atlantic or through travel agents. Cheap Virgin flights to Tobago are sometimes available, but see their website for further information.

* next day arrival

• Reader Satisfaction Rating [info]  RSR
• Baggage Allowance/Seat Pitch: click here
• Gatwick Accommodation: click here
• Further Information: www.virgin-atlantic.com