British WestIndies

We took a week package tour to Antigua and saved about £700 for a family of 3 by flying British West Indies. The aircraft is a well used A340, with no seat back entertainment (believe the white one ex-Virgin does have but seldom works) see the screen on a sunny day proved hard.

Drinks were not free, so no drunken yobs!

Food was excellent both ways especially the clotted cream tea outbound. We were 90 mins late departing due to the food being delayed, on the return leg we were 2 hours late due to the plane behind schedule, and then waited half hour for a parking place at Heathrow.

Overall I cannot complain for what we got for our money, and would fly British West Indies again.

We flew with British West Indies in October to Trinidad, the crew made you feel as if they were doing you a favour by serving you. The flight was late due to the incoming air craft being late. No wheel chair for my wife so we had to wait for over two hours, then two members of staff had an argument in front of every one. The return journey was delayed for three hours, due to ground control not giving permission to move from the work shop where it was having a new door seal fitted after a truck hit the door, the whole thing was a joke from start to finish. Oh it was the first time I have had to pay for my drink on a long haul flight, would we fly with this company again? Not on your life.

I have travelled twice(2xreturn journeys) on British WestIndies from UK to Trinidad and read numerous reviews on this airline. I worry about the planes, always having delays some up to 8hrs or cancelled. Lots of technical difficulties. Old planes, interiors shabby, lack of monitors to view in flight entertainment. Seat backs wont lock as broken. Food was not very good at all compared to other economy transatlantic airlines fare. They ran out of red wine, had none left for my dinner. Flights delayed. Even baggage took 50mins to arrive at manchester, after 2hr flight delay very tiring(but the bag delay may not have been BWEE fault) I travel many, many times during the year and my last trip with Bwee really did annoy me. My outward journey flight was cancelled and I was moved to the next day. I booked the flight 7mths before I travelled and asked for an aisle seat. On my return journey my seat request was pending even up until a week before I travelled. When the airline were contacted I was given row 46 !! I disputed this 2 days before I flew, saying how could I be seated this far back when I booked so long ago. I was told I could only be moved up to row 43 as no other seats available. Imagine my horror when the A340-300 plane had only 50 passengers!! and I had almost the whole of the rear compartment to myself. This might have made me feel a bit better having 3 seats to stretch out on BUT the cabin crew decided to sit behind me with the lights on and chat loudly most of the night! I will not fly with British WestIndies ever again, I'd rather pay more.

Outward journey to St. Lucia was delayed 3 hrs due to technical problems in Trinidad. British WestIndies Plane itself was lacking entertainment channels, movies were relatively old - Maid in Manhattan!

Drinks/refreshments were chargeable and expensive. Plane did not seem to have much room between aisles.

Return journey was far far worse. We used LIAT to connect between islands - they were another terrible airline(local). Fly to Port of Spain, Trinidad from Greneda. POS airport lovely and new but the price of any food was horrendously expensive - $10 for chicken and fries, take-away. $5 for a Snickers. Waited a few hours at the gate due to an unkown delay. Turned out to be the arrival of a crew for the plane - a chartered 747 Jumbo. The crew looked like South American/Spanish models, but turned out to be very rude and totally unco-operative. They were not helpful as they were only charter personnel. Because the plane was idle a lot, the heat was unbearable on board; when asked for water, a tiny dribble of luke warm water was given. One British West Indies person fly on-board to sort problems. Due to the fact that this wasn't their regular aircraft, their seating plan was non-existant. There was no communication over the PA as to what was going on. People were trying to board in an unorderly manner because there were no instructions given. Allocated seating only worked for those booked in 1st class in POS. Eventually we got seats together. The plane then stopped at Barbados and there was more seat jostling - some people being very awkward and rude, Crew not helping and people being frustrated in general. This part of the journey was not on the itinerary and added a few hours to the overall journey. Arrived in London to miss the connection to Dublin, Ireland. United Airways, a partner of BWIA, sorted a flight on a British Midlands flight - which was the highlight of the journey!! BMI were friendly, efficient, polite staff.

BWIA and LIAT have to be the worst airlines I've ever flown with and would not recommend them if you have the pleasure of going to the Carribbean.