connecting time for International flights @ POS

Your questions and comment on travel to Tobago
Post Reply
cpetersen
Newbie Visitor
Newbie Visitor
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:57 am
Location: California

connecting time for International flights @ POS

Post by cpetersen »

Hello All, My husband and I will be vacationing in Tobago @ Kariwak for windsurfing in mid-April 2017. (Traveling from California, USA) We've booked our flights in and out of POS, but I am in a quandry about timing to book the Carribean Airlines flights to and from Tobago. The Carribean Airlines website, specifically states that "the time between the arrival of a flight and the departure should be no less than 4 hours" - which seems excessive! 4 hours! To get that many hours would be problematic given our return flight, which leaves POS in the morning.

The tourism advice on this website (www.mytobago.info/airtravel05.php) states that "The flight duration is 25 minutes and visitors are advised to allow a minimum connecting time of 20 minutes for domestic flights and one hour for international flights." In your experience, if we allow TWO HOURS connecting time in POS for our international flights - after our arrival, and before our departure back to the US - will that be sufficient?? (Clearing customs would be at POS, not TAB?)

We are arriving to POS on Saturday, April 15th, 2017 at 3:14 pm. I would like to book the 5:35 pm flight out of POS to TAB. That gives us the 2 hours at POS. We then depart from POS for the US on Sunday, April 23rd, 2017 at 9:15 am. I would like to book the 6:40 am flight from TAB that arrives at POS at 7:05 am. That also gives us the 2 hours at POS.

I appreciate any advice people have to offer, given your experience! Thank you very much! :D
User avatar
Steve Wooler
myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
Posts: 4841
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
Location: Suffolk, England
Contact:

Re: connecting time for International flights @ POS

Post by Steve Wooler »

Welcome to the forum. :D

The 2 hours that you have allowed should be more than adequate. The trouble is that none of this advice can totally take into account the exceptional delays in incoming flights that can and do occur with flights, anywhere in the world.

In fairness, I have to say that I've never personally flown between North America and Tobago and haven't arrived or departed from Trinidad on an international flight for more than 30 years, so I'm no expert. However, I'm sure that some of our North American Tobago regulars will add their comments here and put your mind at rest from practical experience.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
Hugh S
Tobago Anorak
Tobago Anorak
Posts: 551
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:43 pm
Location: West Coast, USA
Contact:

Re: connecting time for International flights @ POS

Post by Hugh S »

Hello fellow Californians!

I sent you a PM with my phone number because this subject is very lengthy. I look forward to hearing from you and discussing one of my favorite subjects!

The short answer is that the Caribbean Airlines air bridge is one of the last places where they will almost always put you on the next available flight without extra fees if your incoming to POS is late (and you already have a reservation). This may not help you though when you are trying to catch that early return flight.

I usually reserve the flight to Tobago for 2 or 3 hours after scheduled arrival to POS. Outgoing is often more complicated: we have spent more than a few sleepless nights at Piarco in order to catch an early flight back to the US.

Hugh 8)
Post Reply

Return to “Air Travel & Getting To Tobago”