myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 22 September 2002

In Arpil 2003 we are travelling to Tobago staying at the Coco Reef for our Daughters wedding. We are flying with the airline BWIA, does anybody know of this airline. Your comments would be appreciated. Thank you Linda

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 25 September 2002

Hi. We flew with BWIA in June this year for our honeymoon. Generally they were fine. The food was lovely and we got seats right up front so there was plenty of leg room. All of the cabin staff were very pleasant too. The plane was an older one and you could tell from the decor and gnerally looking a bit grubby, but I have heard that they now have new planes so you may be lucky. However we did experience the following problems: We were delayed with every flight (from London, Barbados, and Trinidad). having said that we have been delayed on flights before, and so it could just have been a one off. And they lost our luggage (we were specifically told that the luggage would be checked through to Tobago at London) so we didn't stop anywhere to check. It turned out that our luggage was sat in Trinidad. We got it back the next day, but I forewarn you to check the carousel at Trinidad for your luggage just to make sure !

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 30 September 2002

Hi Linda.

A regular correspondent has privately brought it to my notice that not everything is rosy at BWIA. Apparently, the airline have had a rotten summer and lost a lot of money. According to Caribbean Aviation (http://www.caribbeanaviation.com), BWIA is “on the brink of collapse”. Within the past two weeks they have axed one of their Manchester/Barbados/Trinidad flights and are selling aircraft (including those that they use for the Trinidad/Tobago shuttle - although I’m sure there must be alternative plans for this crossing). There seems to be some talk that the airline might merge or be taken over by LIAT, with whom they have a strategic alliance. Now, the last thing I want to do is be alarmist. I have no idea if they could affect your travel plans. However, in view of the importance of travel for your daughter’s wedding, I felt it was important that I brought this information to your notice. I would suggest that a chat with your travel agent might be in order. [thanks, Ian]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 02 October 2002

I hate to sound a tone of caution in these difficult times but BWIA like most other airlines has suffered the post 9/11 blues. In todays 'Trinidad Guardian' it is reported that the Directors and senior executives of BWIA have taken pay cuts of between 5 and 7%. In addition BWIA intend to dispose of the 'Tobago Express' Dash 8's that serve the Tobago - Port of Spain route and make the 40 pilots and crew of those aircraft redundant by 31/01/03. The airbridge between TAB and POS could be taken on by LIAT which seems to continue to expand in the Eastern Caribbean. Restructuring plans take BWIA from being a full service airline to being an all jet low cost carrier with outsourced maintainance services and catering. That may all be academic as the Directors have also stated that unless concessions are made by the workforce within a month BWIA could go into administration. Personally in future I will fly Monarch Premium Class to Tobago as I did this year and just wait and see what develops on the airbridge.

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 03 October 2002

Caribbean Star is now operating the airbridge from Port of Spain too and will have 9 daily flights by December 1st. That's great news as Caribbean Star have code sharing with US Airways and arrangements to connect with Virgin, Air Jamaica and BA, creating many more options to get to Tobago from the UK and the US. Being in the CRS reservation system is another asset, making it easier to book flights to TAB from abroad.