Fly Montserrat owner Nigel Harris has shared a series of tips to ensure international visitors can connect to Montserrat with ease and speed.
He advised travellers to choose an international flight with good connection times, call if the flight is delayed, and ask for help if running late in Antigua.
Speaking during an interview on ZJB radio on 3 December, Harris said problems at VC Bird International Airport in Antigua appear “more acute” this year.
The issue stems partly from the lack of night flying in Montserrat, he said, adding that John A Osborne Airport closes just after sunset.
This means that as the nights draw in, the last flight from Antigua has to leave on time, or it will not be permitted to fly at all.
He called it a “pressure point”, and said they are working on getting night flying in Monserrat, but added that it is not going to be a quick fix.
In the meantime, he offered some tips for travellers.
Contact Fly Montserrat
Harris advised Fly Montserrat customers to let the office know at least six hours beforehand if the flight is running late and making the connection look unlikely.
“You can actually give us a call and change it for a small fee, he said, adding: “If it’s after six hours, you’re called what we call in an industry, a no show.”
This means that the customer has not shown up at the right time, therefore their seat flies empty, so they do not get a refund.
The airline owner recommended calling from the airport in the UK before flying, which would allow plenty of time for Fly Montserrat to register the late arrival.
“We try very, very hard to get people to Montserrat. We don’t want people staying in Antigua. I don’t want my pilots staying. But just help yourself a bit,” he said.
Fly Montserrat can be contacted at (664) 491-3434.
Ask for help
Harris also told people to be bold if they are in VC Bird International Airport and have a tight connection or are running late, because it can take an hour to get through security and immigration.
“Tell the immigration officer, tell anybody: ‘Hey, can I jump this queue? Can you take me up to the front?’ Use your elbows. Don’t be timid, and people will normally let you go to the front of the queue,” he said.
He explained that the Fly Montserrat desk in Antigua closes one hour and 10 minutes before the scheduled departure so passengers must be checked in by then.
“If you’re not there in time, I’m sorry, but you’ve missed it. We’ll try and get you on the first available flight,” he said.
“It’s not a question of being nice. We are nice people. We’re part of the community.
“But if that flight goes late, it means the flights thereafter don’t make it to Montserrat, and that’s not fair on the people that have checked in.”
Wait list
There are still plenty of flights available for visitors to Montserrat this December on Fly Montserrat, Harris assured.
“We’ve got almost 1,000 people already booked with us during the month, but we also have 1,000 seats still available. So if you’re trying to get seats, you’re okay,” he said.
However, he said passengers may not get the seats they want, so he urged them to ask to be added to a wait list for their preferred flight.
“When there is sufficient people, we try and put on extra flights,” he said, adding that at the time of the interview there was no-one on the wait list.
Flight times
Harris said one of the issues this year is that British Airways, a popular carrier for visitors from the UK, has changed its flight times.
“About half their flights now come in too late to make a connection to Montserrat, but at least three days a week they come in around 2pm where you can make a connection,” he said.
“So when you’re booking your BA section, look very carefully at the arrival time Antigua, and if possible, pick a day when it gets in early, then you’ll get to Montserrat.”
He added that Virgin flights do not get to Antigua until after 5pm so connections cannot be made to Montserrat on the same day.
Meanwhile, most American and Canadian flights to Antigua arrive around 3pm, he said.
“If a flight doesn’t arrive from Canada or the UK until after 3pm, there is no point in booking on a flight with us at 4pm, because that’s impossible. But at 5pm you could make it.”
He added: “If clearly you’re not going to make it then pre book a hotel. It’ll take the pressure off
“Have a night out in Antigua with a leisurely meal, but we need to know that so we can book you on our first flight the following morning.”
