Owen Roberts Airport departure lounge opens

[mi000ke]

One area that will continue to suck is the rental car area - it is a complete mess and they told me that there are no current plans to redo it. As one of the first and last experiences for travelers, they really need to address that area and figure out a better layout.

I suppose like immigration it depends on timing. We rented from hertz this time (I always go online to find the best rate among the GC car rental companies) and there was no waiting. We had the car in less than 15 minutes.

 

[Joneill]

I suppose like immigration it depends on timing. We rented from hertz this time (I always go online to find the best rate among the GC car rental companies) and there was no waiting. We had the car in less than 15 minutes.

We used Hertz too, but had to wait almost 30 minutes for the cars to be cleaned and brought up. So, pickup was a little slow - but, at least on a Saturday, the dropoff is what's a total mess as everyone is dropping off and picking up cars in the same tiny space - a bad way to end a nice vacation!

 

[caydiver]

I left last Saturday evening and returned yesterday. Cayman Airways to JFK and back. On Saturday morning before 6 I received an email saying my outbound was delayed. Still checked in before 10 and came home. Went back around 4:15 and the departure area was crowded but there were seats. Bad weather on the Eastern US seacoast delayed inbound flights so the turnaround time was compromised . Some folks were complaining that they had been there for hours. The delays were online all day and there was no reason for anyone to have spent their last hours unnecessarily in the airport. We left promptly at the revised time I got by email in the morning. Arrived home yesterday at about 11:30 am. No line at any of the Immigration counters, bags were out in a few minutes and walked directly out through Nothing to Declare. From walking off the plane to walking outside was maybe 15 minutes. There are really good options if but only if people choose to use them. I rented from Hertz too but in JFK. Had to wait a little for the car but the weather was so nasty it was understandable.

 

[Joneill]

I left last Saturday evening and returned yesterday. Cayman Airways to JFK and back. On Saturday morning before 6 I received an email saying my outbound was delayed. Still checked in before 10 and came home. Went back around 4:15 and the departure area was crowded but there were seats. Bad weather on the Eastern US seacoast delayed inbound flights so the turnaround time was compromised . Some folks were complaining that they had been there for hours. The delays were online all day and there was no reason for anyone to have spent their last hours unnecessarily in the airport. We left promptly at the revised time I got by email in the morning. Arrived home yesterday at about 11:30 am. No line at any of the Immigration counters, bags were out in a few minutes and walked directly out through Nothing to Declare. From walking off the plane to walking outside was maybe 15 minutes. There are really good options if but only if people choose to use them. I rented from Hertz too but in JFK. Had to wait a little for the car but the weather was so nasty it was understandable.

You were on the same flight as us then. We did get the e-mail from Cayman Airways that indicated a departure delay from 4:05 to 5:15. However, we did not know if we actually could believe that or not! So we arrived around 2 to drop off the rental car (a lengthy cluster_ck experience), check bags and get through security (advised to allow at least 2 hours - esp on a Saturday). The airport was a mobscene and it took 50 minutes to get through bag check and security screening (where they were training new people and opening lots of bags). There were no seats until at least 30 minutes after we got to the departure lounge!

The reason for us not believing the delay e-mail is what happened on the outbound flight to GCM on 7/12 and to our friend's daughters who left on 7/20: For our 7/12 flight to GCM, we also received an e-mail from Cayman Airways the night before that indicated a departure delay from 8:40 to 9:05. We stuck with our limo pickup time versus an extra 1/2 hour of sleep. When we got to JFK, the departure board listed 9:05, but at the gate it listed 8:40. Cayman Airways website site listed 9:05. There was no one at the gate until just before boarding to ask about the conflict.

Guess what? The flight boarded and was off of the gate by 8:35 (so early) - so anyone who assumed the flight was leaving at 9:05 as Cayman Airways had said could have easily missed the flight!

As we taxied out to the runway, we got another email from Cayman Airways that the gate was changing to gate #1. However, the gate had always been gate #1 and that is the gate we left from. WTF?

For our friends daughters' 4:05 JFK return on 7/20, we dropped them off at 1:45 and the flight was still showing as on time. Just after 3:00 they were told that there flight would be delayed until 6 as they needed the jet to ferry folks from Brac due to issues with the prop plane. After 6, this changed to an autopilot issue with the jet. They eventually left (way late), only to have to turn around over Cuba and return to GCM due to autopilot failure! Once they got back to GCM, Cayman reps were virtually non existent (they close customer service at 9) as was any communication. Their parents were quite concerned as they could get no info from Cayman Airways on status. They eventually brought in a new plane from Jamaica and got home at 3:30 AM versus the planned 9 PM arrival).

The kicker is that, during this whole time, Cayman Airways (and Flight Aware) showed the flight as on time with a 4:05 departure/9:00 arrival. It was not until the second departure at after 11PM, the the websites were updated with the reality of the delay.

Also, it was not the bad weather on the East Coast that caused delays on the Return JFK flight on 7/21, it was the fact that the major delays the day before resulted in arcraft and Aircrews not being able to be where they needed to be on time. The Saturday flight that should have arrived from JFK at 11:40 AM was not arriving until 6 PM! That meant, they had to bring in a different plane for our flight (our seats all changed vs our boarding passes - no big deal, but revealed the issue).

Sorry, but Cayman Airways communication flat out SUCKED this year - whether you want to admit that or not!

 

[caydiver]

My experience was just different. But I checked in at 10 am and left the airport. I see no reason to stay there. The Cayman flight to NY the previous day had issues and had to come back. However the crowds at the airport were not because of just that one flught. Several flights that should have arrived before 3pm were delayed due to weather so all those people were delayed leaving. I think the bottom line is just not to stay at the airport when there are options. You were not by any chance the lovely couple that were sitting close to the gate while we were waiting for the agent to come over from the Miami departure where they had the missing passenger and we were chatting? What a small world if it was!!!

 

[Joneill]

My experience was just different. But I checked in at 10 am and left the airport. I see no reason to stay there. The Cayman flight to NY the previous day had issues and had to come back. However the crowds at the airport were not because of just that one flught. Several flights that should have arrived before 3pm were delayed due to weather so all those people were delayed leaving. I think the bottom line is just not to stay at the airport when there are options. You were not by any chance the lovely couple that were sitting close to the gate while we were waiting for the agent to come over from the Miami departure where they had the missing passenger and we were chatting? What a small world if it was!!!

Yes - that was us and it was nice chatting with you. I'm envious that you get to live in such a great place!

We've flown Cayman Airways for 6 years with no issues, but their communication was really bad (and sometime completely inaccurate) this year - to the point that I did not trust their e-mail communications on the delay on Saturday. In 2018, there really is no excuse to mess up communication on flight status to the extent they did this year. The airport stuff will be fixed when everything opens up later this year, so that was no big deal.

We'll be back, but Cayman Airways may not be as attractive now with their baggage fee change - I'll certainly be looking at Jet Blue more closely now!

Happy diving!

 

[caydiver]

How lovely to meet you!!!! Crazy weather in your part of the world. I had to buy a raincoat! But I actually enjoyed the 70’s in mid July. It was like winter. Let me know the next time you are back.

 

[Joneill]

How lovely to meet you!!!! Crazy weather in your part of the world. I had to buy a raincoat! But I actually enjoyed the 70’s in mid July. It was like winter. Let me know the next time you are back.

Yes - it's been like living in the tropics with all the rain this last week and heat is now returning. Next stop is Bonaire in November, but we'll definitely be back to Grand Cayman (and maybe Little Cayman) next summer and I'll let you know! Thanks!

 

[Joneill]

Yes - it's been like living in the tropics with all the rain this last week and heat is now returning. Next stop is Bonaire in November, but we'll definitely be back to Grand Cayman (and maybe Little Cayman) next summer and I'll let you know! Thanks!

Any update on the current status of the airport reno and what it might be like by 1st week of February? What is/will be open by then? Thanks!

 

[mi000ke]

Latest update:

Familiar faces win airport concession bids | Cayman Compass

Refers to a December goal for completing renovations.