Friday, August 11, 2006

Travel Disaster Dec. '04 Pt. 1

It all begain on that fateful Friday morning, I rose at 4:30 a.m. to get ready to reach to the Airport at 5:15 in order to leave on my 6:30 flight from the BVI to Antigua on Liat where I would then take a BWee flight to Kingston Jamaica. I had heard horror stories about liat but the flight arrived and left on time so I thought a great start to my trip home. I had been away for 6 weeks and could not wait to get back home.

Ok, so arrive in Antigua at about 8 something I believe it was. Our connecting flight was supposed to leave at shortly after 9 to arrive in Kingston at 12:45 p.m. So, we waited. First announcement is that the flight was delayed. Another announcement - same thing. Another announcement - flight still delayed. At 4 p.m. we were all still sitting in the airport as since about 2 or so, we heard no announcement for our flight. A group of us all heading for Jamaica were sitting together, some reading, some working on laptops, some playing cards to pass the time. Then we heard some women pass us saying that the flight was .......................... CANCELLED!!!! ......................... We were all in shock because no such announcement was made. So, we proceeded to the counter to enquire what was happening. We enquired and were asked "to proceed to the BWee desk at another section of the airport". We were pissed and quite peeved. Thankfully we were provided with a meal as I know it would have gotten really ugly if we were hungry.

When we arrive at the Bwee desk, other irate passengers were already there cussing some claaat and other choice words to the representative citing how disrespectful, irresponsible and disgusting they were. To add insult to injury, they told us that we needed to come around the back and find our luggage ourselves. Of course, this led to further cussing and argument between the passengers and the bwee employees.

After finally receiving all our luggage, we were then carted off in a bus to an ok hotel which would be our home for the night in Antigua and that we would be placed on an Air Jamaica flight leaving the next day. I remember there was a woman with a very young baby with her and she was adamant that she could not wait tomorrow to leave so other arrangements were made for her. The situation was that Bwee does not leave from Antigua on a Saturday, it goes thru St. Maarten hence us being placed on an Air J flight. I think the lady with the baby was flown back to St. Maarten to await the arrival of the Bwee flight from Trinidad.

So, we got our belly fulls and rested our weary heads at the Jolly Beach Resort for the night, preparing for the next day's events and more dramas which were to unfold.

To be continued.

9 comments:

Abeni said...

Travel can be so stressful.What I hate most is when they give you no announcement as to what is happening.

Unknown said...

Ok, that's it! You and Abeni have now totally convinced me not to travel on Liat and BWIA!!!

Abeni said...

But how you making it to vincy for the link:)

Rev Island said...

Not nice. Hope things go uphill in the continuation. Will read.

Scratchie said...

The joys of Caribbean travel.....

Omni said...

YIKES!! That's why I don't like to travel!! :-O

Mad Bull said...

Dunno anything about either BWEE or LIAT, haven't travelled them yet. I will have to take care of that soon...

Deelze said...

I have to say I am very sorry to hear about your travel woos...

To second Omni this is why I hate to travel!!! GRRRRR

~Smooches~

CoolDestiny said...

Don't know how I'm getting to Vincy but I will try to find a way around Liat. Maybe Caribbean Star if they are still running then.

Ri, stay tuned Pt 2 coming.

MB, If you don't have to travel Bwee or Liat, DON'T ... I REPEAT DON'T.