Liatt vs Carribean Star Airlines

We will be hopping around the Caribbean with our diving and photo gear in a couple of months. Given the choice of flying with Liatt or Caribbean Star Airlines, what would you recommend based on recent experience? Both officially permit only 23 kg check in luggage and have no sport allowance.

Thanks for any tips

After a bad experience on Liat, we were talking with some other folks about the alternatives of Caribbean Star and BWI. The consensus was they all stink. They will all lose your luggage. None of them care. Flights will be delayed without explanation. Catching connecting flights will poorly executed.

The only redeeming value of Liat is they run more flights in most areas of the Caribbean, so when they leave your luggage behind, you might get it faster.

Have a good trip.

I used Caribbean Star last year for a trip to St. Vincent. Everything went on schedule and they didn't say anything about my luggage that was well over 23Kg. People who were using Liat on the same route were delayed considerably. If I was using either one I'd allow plenty of leeway as far as connecting flights etc.

I used Caribbean Star last year for a trip to St. Vincent. Everything went on schedule and they didn't say anything about my luggage that was well over 23Kg. People who were using Liat on the same route were delayed considerably. If I was using either one I'd allow plenty of leeway as far as connecting flights etc.

Leave Island Any Time , Land Island Any Time. They operate on a magical timescale called 'Island Time'.

Cor

ps: ive never used them, but I know plenty of people who have, and they have that nickname for a reason

Though I've never flown with LIAT or had any dealings with them, I did run into a group in Dominica two years ago that used LIAT. In order for them to get to Dominica on time (i.e. before nightfall), they had to all rush onto their connecting flight. Bad news was their luggage didn't make the connection, and it wasn't until the third day on Dominica that their bags showed up.

I flew through San Juan, Puerto Rico using Continental and then American Eagle. All my luggage made the flights as well.

In order for them to get to Dominica on time (i.e. before nightfall), they had to all rush onto their connecting flight.

This is typical for Liat. The bags don't make it. What they don't tell you is that commercial cargo fills up the hold, so connecting passengers who are late are screwed.

I have no experience with Liat, but Caribbeam Star (aka, Caribbean Sun) is awfull - I will never fly or reccomend then again - even to my worst enemy!!

I am an outfitter that organizes group dive expeditions around the world. I have flown in and out of many challenging places and faced a number of obstacles and red tape, but based on the EXTREMELY POOR customer service and the general lack of interest we encountered during a trip leg from Puerto Rico to Tortola last August 2006, I will tell you that they have no interest in anything other than revenue!!

Although booked well in advance, frequent schedule changes (and in spite of many assurances by their corporate office) ultimately resulted in a connection time of about 55 minutes.

Not so bad you say...........

Well, because my group was trying to connect and had "less than an hour" before the departing flight, we were all denied boarding! Even though the gate was only a 5 minute walk from the counter, they would rather send the plane half empty than allow us to board even though it was their constant schedule changes that caused us to be 5 minutes under their time limit of 60 minutes.

They were quite happy to take our $$, change the schedule several times to give us slightly less than the required 60 minutes of connection time, but would not even talk about a refund! In fact, their supervisor in Puerto Rico was so arrogant, that she would not even help us with suggestions of alternative means to continue our journey. We walked away in disgust and they laughed behind us as we headed to the next airline counter.

I went to several other Catibbeam carriers and they were all appalled at the treatment but said it was unfortunately very typical of Caribbean Star/Sun, and they all provided us with help and ideas to get us to the BVI. Not because they had to, but because they cared about customer service and appreciated the fact that we as travellers support their existance.

Ironically, upon our return from Tortola to Puerto Rico, the counter staff for Caribbean Star in Tortola could not believe that we were denied boarding and said that as long as the door is not closed, that they at least make an attempt rather than send the plane half empty.

It is now mid January of 2007, and I have yet to receive any indication of interest in making this right.

Perhaps it's just Puerto Rico, but allow me to give you my blunt opinion......Caribbean Star (Sun) SUCKS and is a poor excuse for an airline!!!

So......the moral of the story is that you should always be rational and keep your cool as you problem solve and work your way through a difficult situation. There are people who can help you.....they just don't work for Caribbean Star!

Thanks for all the replies. As usual the forums are an amazing source of information for me. Based on the warnings I have changed our schedules to allow for longer connection times and will just have to hope for the best.

Interestingly it turns out that Caribbean Star Airlines will not exist after February as they are merging with Liat. Effectively this means far less flights and a major hike in fares. I am sure it is planned to cash in on all the visitrs coming for the World Cup Cricket in the West Indies duringh March and April. Also note that some countries will require special visas for this period if visiting any of the hosting islands : http://www.caricom.org/jsp/cwc_2007/carico...sa.jsp?menu=cwc

Cheers, Andre

Thanks for all the replies. As usual the forums are an amazing source of information for me. Based on the warnings I have changed our schedules to allow for longer connection times and will just have to hope for the best.

 

Interestingly it turns out that Caribbean Star Airlines will not exist after February as they are merging with Liat. Effectively this means far less flights and a major hike in fares. I am sure it is planned to cash in on all the visitrs coming for the World Cup Cricket in the West Indies duringh March and April. Also note that some countries will require special visas for this period if visiting any of the hosting islands : http://www.caricom.org/jsp/cwc_2007/carico...sa.jsp?menu=cwc

 

Cheers, Andre

Hey Andre,

What I learned recently is that LIAT is taking up some of the flights that Caribbean Sun/star flew. For example I'm headed to St Vinvent end of Feb, and will be using LIAT for flights from PR to St Vincent that were previously flown by CS. Can't speak as yet about LIAT as an airline, but their website worked and an actual person answered right away when I called to confirm.

I trust you're taking your trusty model with you!

Gloria (Fm solomons trp)

Hey Andre,

What I learned recently is that LIAT is taking up some of the flights that Caribbean Sun/star flew. For example I'm headed to St Vinvent end of Feb, and will be using LIAT for flights from PR to St Vincent that were previously flown by CS. Can't speak as yet about LIAT as an airline, but their website worked and an actual person answered right away when I called to confirm.

 

I trust you're taking your trusty model with you!

 

Gloria (Fm solomons trp)

Thanks Gloria. No, this time I am taking the other ( far better looking ) one along

When are we going to see your Solomon pics??

Thanks Gloria. No, this time I am taking the other ( far better looking ) one along

When are we going to see your Solomon pics??

ummm, well, not nearly in the same class, but how does it go, even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then!

Unfortunately the site is hard loading things in order....you might want to start at the end of the Solomons album as some of the acorns ended up at the back...

Feel free to have a look:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v280/gfandac/

Cheers.

Gloria

I know it's been a while since this thread was active, but I went to Dominica last week and wanted to post my thoughts.

Liat SUCKS.

Carib SUCKS EVEN MORE!

We had a dozen people going on the trip. We were flying Delta from Knoxville to Atlanta to Antigua, then Liat from Antigua to Dominica.

8 days before departure Liat canceled our flight. The trip leader and the travel agent got 9 people rebooked on another Liat flight, so their routing stayed the same.

For the remaining 3 (yes, I was one of them), they changed my routing 6 times in 6 days because Liat and Carib kept screwing around. At one point I was going to have to spend the night in Antigua, then go to the resort a day late. I would also have to leave a day late, and lose a day diving because the resort wouldn't have any boats going out on Saturday.

We eventually got routed Knoxville-Atlanta-San Juan on Delta, then Liat for San Juan to Dominica. The inbound Liat leg wasn't too bad. We only left an hour late. Because they needed to refuel the plane. But couldn't because the pilot parked the plane on top of the fueling point. After seeing them park the plane, then move the plane, and some of the other idiotic things they did on the ground, I was very surprised that they landed us on the correct island!

For my return leg, I had to fly Carib out of Canefield. We arrived in Dominica on June 30. I had specifically asked the trip leader and the travel agent several times about weight limits and they both checked -- 50lbs per bag, 2 checked bags and 2 carryons. My checked gear weighs about 100 lbs, and my 2 carryons (with 2 cameras, 5 lenses, laptop, etc) weigh another 60-80.

We arrived at the Carib counter to find out that they had changed their policy. As of JULY 1 -- the day after we arrived -- they now only allow 50 lbs of checked baggage and 1 carryon. I had to pay $84 for overweight baggage to fly from Dominica to Antigua. I also had to check one of my carryons -- the one with most of my lenses, one of my camera bodies, and my housing and ports. The Carib folks were absolutely no help.

Until something changes, I won't be returning to Dominica, nor will I be traveling to anywhere that I have to fly Liat or Carib.

My rules for flying to the Caribbean and South / Central America.

1.Stick with major US carriers wherever possible at least they try to stick to their flight times and rules, as they are usually flying to or from a US city.

2.Avoid San Juan P.R. and Miami at all costs. Both these destinations are chronically plagued with theft problems, loss of luggage, and flight changes and delays.

Unfortunately this can severely limit one's destinations and time options