carriemak
Contributor
What is up with Cayman Airways changing flights like that? I have had the flight from Grand to LC changed many times by them but never what you are experiencing. Good luck!
Cayman Airways Scheduling Issues
- Thread starter AggieDiver
- Start date
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OP
AggieDiver
Contributor
I know part of it is they are changing the flights going between LC and GC to route more folks through Brac. They want to mainly use the Twin Otters to carry folks to LC and between LC and Brac. It seems they want to use their leased Embraer 120 and eventually a new Saab 340 to carry most of the non-jet traffic. In the course of changing out flights in their system to account for the schedule changes, it seems their system is canceling the old flight first, then adding the new flight. Which results in the system rebooking folks on new flights sometimes on different days. Not sure why they are booking jdcpa to a completely different end destination though. My flights ended up fine...but I stayed on top of it every day to make sure they were not monkeying with things.
---------- Post added November 2nd, 2014 at 12:24 PM ----------
And fwiw, the embraer is a nice ride...cruising speed is twice as fast as the twin otter and it is a fair bit quieter.
---------- Post added November 2nd, 2014 at 12:24 PM ----------
And fwiw, the embraer is a nice ride...cruising speed is twice as fast as the twin otter and it is a fair bit quieter.
We came back yesterday and we didn't have problems with Cayman Air but I spoke with some people that did have problems.
It took 3 days to get one woman's luggage from GC to CB. They kept calling Cayman Air and were told "yeah it's here, we will get it to you right away!" but planes kept arriving without her bag. The dive shop kindly loaned her some gear so she could dive but she couldn't find a mask that didn't leak and her contact lenses were in her missing bag so she was rather miserable.
Another couple were scheduled to leave CB yesterday on a flight that left around 11:30 am. They had confirmed the flight and printed out boarding passes on Friday, but at 7 am on Saturday they got a call saying that their flight was canceled and that they had been scheduled to leave on the 9:05 am flight! Good thing they had already done most of their packing but it was quite a scramble. When the taxi showed up to pick us up at the hotel the driver was not prepared for another pair of passengers and luggage - but we all squeezed in and made it work.
My husband and I had no problems with Cayman Air. We flew to CB a week ago Saturday on the new Embraer 120 aircraft and I liked it a lot. All of our bags came with us and it was a quick, comfortable, and pleasant flight.
We had originally been booked to leave CB for GC on the jet at 6:20 am yesterday but I wanted a later flight because our Delta flight wasn't scheduled to leave until 1:30 pm and the Delta check-in counter doesn't open until 10:30 am - so we would be hanging out in the airport for many hours and dragging our luggage around until the Delta agents showed up - and then hanging out in the departure lounge for more hours until our flight arrived.
Before we left home I tried rescheduling with Reef Fanta Seas, Delta, and Cayman Air and I was told that we would have to pay hundreds of dollars to reschedule. But last Thursday we rented a car to tour around CB and stopped at the airport. I went in and talked to the Cayman Air ticket agent and she was great. She offered to rebook us onto the 9:05 am Embraer 120 flight and it only cost us an extra $25 US per person. it was the best $50 bucks that I spent on vacation.
It is a good thing we were able to take the later flight to GC because yesterday's return trip to Chicago was a nightmare thanks to Delta. There were a lot of Delta employees at the GC airport but they were all trainees and only one guy knew what he was doing but he was rarely available. It was a long and painful process just to check in even though we were early and there were not many people in line.
We were supposed to board at 1 pm and leave at 1:30 pm but then they announced that the flight was delayed. The Delta staff were vague, non-communicative, and casual. I was afraid that the flight would be cancelled entirely but a plane eventually showed up and we left around 3:30 pm.
We arrived in Atlanta around 7 pm and of course I knew we would never make our 7:25 connection, but it was worse than expected. It took more than 2 hours to get through immigration, customs, rebooking, and security. In fact we almost missed the last flight out because they had almost finished boarding our 9:53 pm flight when we finally got to the gate.
We eventually got home safe and sound but it was a long, hard day. I will never willingly fly Delta again if I can avoid it, I'd rather fly with Klingons!
Anyway, Cayman Air was great for us but I do know that others were having problems with them.
It took 3 days to get one woman's luggage from GC to CB. They kept calling Cayman Air and were told "yeah it's here, we will get it to you right away!" but planes kept arriving without her bag. The dive shop kindly loaned her some gear so she could dive but she couldn't find a mask that didn't leak and her contact lenses were in her missing bag so she was rather miserable.
Another couple were scheduled to leave CB yesterday on a flight that left around 11:30 am. They had confirmed the flight and printed out boarding passes on Friday, but at 7 am on Saturday they got a call saying that their flight was canceled and that they had been scheduled to leave on the 9:05 am flight! Good thing they had already done most of their packing but it was quite a scramble. When the taxi showed up to pick us up at the hotel the driver was not prepared for another pair of passengers and luggage - but we all squeezed in and made it work.
My husband and I had no problems with Cayman Air. We flew to CB a week ago Saturday on the new Embraer 120 aircraft and I liked it a lot. All of our bags came with us and it was a quick, comfortable, and pleasant flight.
We had originally been booked to leave CB for GC on the jet at 6:20 am yesterday but I wanted a later flight because our Delta flight wasn't scheduled to leave until 1:30 pm and the Delta check-in counter doesn't open until 10:30 am - so we would be hanging out in the airport for many hours and dragging our luggage around until the Delta agents showed up - and then hanging out in the departure lounge for more hours until our flight arrived.
Before we left home I tried rescheduling with Reef Fanta Seas, Delta, and Cayman Air and I was told that we would have to pay hundreds of dollars to reschedule. But last Thursday we rented a car to tour around CB and stopped at the airport. I went in and talked to the Cayman Air ticket agent and she was great. She offered to rebook us onto the 9:05 am Embraer 120 flight and it only cost us an extra $25 US per person. it was the best $50 bucks that I spent on vacation.
It is a good thing we were able to take the later flight to GC because yesterday's return trip to Chicago was a nightmare thanks to Delta. There were a lot of Delta employees at the GC airport but they were all trainees and only one guy knew what he was doing but he was rarely available. It was a long and painful process just to check in even though we were early and there were not many people in line.
We were supposed to board at 1 pm and leave at 1:30 pm but then they announced that the flight was delayed. The Delta staff were vague, non-communicative, and casual. I was afraid that the flight would be cancelled entirely but a plane eventually showed up and we left around 3:30 pm.
We arrived in Atlanta around 7 pm and of course I knew we would never make our 7:25 connection, but it was worse than expected. It took more than 2 hours to get through immigration, customs, rebooking, and security. In fact we almost missed the last flight out because they had almost finished boarding our 9:53 pm flight when we finally got to the gate.
We eventually got home safe and sound but it was a long, hard day. I will never willingly fly Delta again if I can avoid it, I'd rather fly with Klingons!
Anyway, Cayman Air was great for us but I do know that others were having problems with them.
jdcpa
Contributor
I have to deal with "Manuals" as they call it. The problem is a computer issue as they explain it. The system is what is bouncing my flights is what they say. I am waiting for "Manuals" to call today.
My guess is that it is somehow related to the EMB 120 on the Brac. I am thinking that the former 9:15 AM flight to Grand from Little no longer exists and the 8:30 AM flight from Little to the Brac is not in the system. So the computer decides the earliest you can get from Little to Grand is after the Grand to Tampa flight leaves and it automatically rebooks the flights.
Unfortunately, this has been an issue for weeks now, since October 15 or thereabouts.
It is odd that you can try to book the exact dates to Little From Tampa and return, and the correct new flights show up as being able to be booked.
I took the EMB 120 on October 27 and it was much quicker to Grand.
I will update as I know more.
My guess is that it is somehow related to the EMB 120 on the Brac. I am thinking that the former 9:15 AM flight to Grand from Little no longer exists and the 8:30 AM flight from Little to the Brac is not in the system. So the computer decides the earliest you can get from Little to Grand is after the Grand to Tampa flight leaves and it automatically rebooks the flights.
Unfortunately, this has been an issue for weeks now, since October 15 or thereabouts.
It is odd that you can try to book the exact dates to Little From Tampa and return, and the correct new flights show up as being able to be booked.
I took the EMB 120 on October 27 and it was much quicker to Grand.
I will update as I know more.
Last edited:
carriemak
Contributor
JD- I am sending you a contact. Check your messages.
jdcpa
Contributor
Got it, thanks!!
BDSC
Contributor
We have had a few issues going from GC to LC and back but have always seemed to work it out eventually. I do wish there was a way to extend the runway so something bigger than the twin otters could land there. We have a group going to LC next August and have already reserved seats on the twin otters for everyone to make sure we could get seats.
OP
AggieDiver
Contributor
They are in discussions about building a new airport on Little Cayman, partly for that reason, and partly to make improvements to bring it up to international standards and allow later flights in and out. The current strip is privately owned. I don't think there is room to extend it much without tearing down the Trust House and paving right up to the edge of the Booby Pond. I don't think that will ever happen, but I also am not in favor of them tearing up a bunch of pristine land to build a new larger airport. I would prefer to see them keep flying the Otters if the only other option is to build a new airport.
---------- Post added November 3rd, 2014 at 12:20 PM ----------
Oh, and they did get rid of the 9:ish am direct flight from LC to GC, except on Tuesdays. I suspect that their ultimate goal is going to be to funnel all traffic to and from LC through the Brac and stop flying the Otters to and from GC, except for maintenance. Not sure if they are just waiting to get the new Saab before doing that or if it will be a longer process.
---------- Post added November 3rd, 2014 at 12:20 PM ----------
Oh, and they did get rid of the 9:ish am direct flight from LC to GC, except on Tuesdays. I suspect that their ultimate goal is going to be to funnel all traffic to and from LC through the Brac and stop flying the Otters to and from GC, except for maintenance. Not sure if they are just waiting to get the new Saab before doing that or if it will be a longer process.
BDSC
Contributor
I looked at the EMB 120 and at least that has about 30 seats which is still better than the 16 or so they put on the twin otter. Didn't know if that particular plane could land at LC. In the fall when they start taking the otters out of service for their scheduled maintenance, it really makes it difficult to get in and out of LC. The resorts end up being limited not by their number of rooms but how many folks can just get to them.
jdcpa
Contributor
The current airstrip does not meet the standards to be considered a commercial runway. The BAA issues an annual exemption to the standards, and has done so for years.
The new airport is scheduled for work beginning nine years from now.
Any extension of the runway would be to the west, not east toward the Booby Pond. That is one of the three options being considered.
Second option would be to move existing runway north and extend it to the west.
Most likely option is to move the airport to the north and east, onto government owned land, but that site has issues as well.
The EMB 120 cannot land on Little.
The new airport is scheduled for work beginning nine years from now.
Any extension of the runway would be to the west, not east toward the Booby Pond. That is one of the three options being considered.
Second option would be to move existing runway north and extend it to the west.
Most likely option is to move the airport to the north and east, onto government owned land, but that site has issues as well.
The EMB 120 cannot land on Little.
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