Major issue at TC Airport yesterday

[captruss24]

Just got back from my trip to BBC and will post all the details tomorrow...overall had a great trip despite the bad weather! However, I need a minute or two to vent....I am returning home tonight and not last night b/c of a "mistake" made at TC Airport yesterday afternoon. B/c of this mistake, my family spent the night in FLL ($200 later) and we had to scramble (to say the least) with US Air to get a flight home this weekend.

Apparently, as our bags were being loaded onto the Continental commuter prop plane, the cart attendant ran the cart into the wing of our plane, which made the plane unsafe to travel in. We got to wait half a day in the TC Airport, which was already at maximum occupancy b/c of the pouring rain all day long. Not only did the staff make an error, but they unloaded the cart and threw our luggage in the corner outside, which was leaking! Talk about dry storage....ha! We finally got a flight out of TC at 5pm, which meant we missed our flight home from FLL earlier that day. Will Continental help you book a flight with another company? NO. Does TC Airport have a working pay phone? NO. Did Continental make any concessions to assist us since the error was totally their fault and not weather-related (as they told us at first)? NO. When we finally arrived to FLL, after an hour's worth of haggling with US Air, we found a flight for 4 to Charlotte this afternoon. What set me off the most was having 0% ability to communicate with the "outside" world since cell phone service doesn't work on Abaco and the airport has no means of making a toll-free phone call.

First of all, I will never give a dime to Continental Airlines ever again. Secondly, I will never fly out of TC Airport ever again. It is worth the extra money to either rent a car or cab and fly out of Marsh Harbour. I thought the staff at TC Airport could have handled the situation more professionally and with courtesy, but apparently I was wrong. Had there not been extra seats on the last flight out of TC yesterday, I may still be stuck in that airport. Feel free to flame away.

[abacopotcake]

Contact the Abaco Tourist Office in Marsh Harbor. Telephone 367-3067 or fax 367-3068.Tell them about your experience.

( BTW cell phones work on Abaco )

[dp]

...and when your, family, time and money is at stake, it matters, I know. Many understand. Anyone who has been going to the Bahamas for long has endured such a nightmare scenario. TCB is TCB and MHH is little better. Just more.

But Continental's behavior is without excuse. You might think a larger airline could be more helpful, but "could" isn't "would." I don't use CAL (Gulfstream) for similar reasons.

Stuff can happen...its how the airline treats you that really matters. Last hear, at FLL airport, a baggage guy ran his cart into a Twinair Cessna and it was immediately grounded, although undamaged, by FAA rules. It took an hour to get another plane and pilot. With many apologies and much courtesy, Twinair fixed the problem as quickly as it could. That was service and you can expect the same effort from Vintage. Both could teach Gulfstream many lessons. ;)

[steamboat]

You may want to contact Continental Customer Service ASAP to file a compliant and see about getting reimbursed for any extra expenses. Since the delay was not "an act of God" as in weather related, then Continental should be liable for getting you to your destination in a timely manner or reimbursing you for expenses. Best of Luck.

[BahamaAngie]

I don't know if this will get deleted or not, but we have had miserable experiences with the Continental personnel at TC airport. I still have NOT filed my complaint for this year. But last year was terrible as my daughter was stuck at the airport with 2 handicapped young children and the Continental Reps at TC were very unhelpful. Lucklily, we were at a villa in TC and was able to find a friend to pick them up and bring them back to our vill and they could not get a flight out for a few days after that! Of course, it was nice having to stay in paradise longer but they did have jobs to return to. Gulfstream really needs to do something about this. Every trip, it is something. Bahama Air may have been delayed but we did not have an unpleasant experience with them like this but we only used them once. I understand if the dealy is weather related as you want a safe flight and can't fight Mother Nature but people certainly can be friendlier.

[George]

Title says it all

[BahamaAngie]

Yeah I understand that but they are partners and Continental should be responsible. They have Continental emblem on their wing.

[BahamaAngie]

Sorry on their tail!

[gatorman71]

George has it right. You are not flying on Continental Airlines and all that implies. You are flying on Gulfstream. These commuter airlines are living hand to mouth. While the larger carriers are required to take care of you if the problem is not weather related, I'm not sure what the regs say about commuters.

Maybe Axel can chime in here.

In any event, this should be a warning to everyone. You take your chances or give your business to a company you can trust.

Personally, I used to fly Twin Air and never had a problem with them. These days it is Vintage. I know that doesn't work for everyone but.......you take your chances.

In the future, take a telephone credit card with you and ask one of the airline counters at TCB if you could use their phone to make a call. Some cell phones work in Abaco and some don't. I have Cingular, now ATT, and mine works great from Abaco.

And I have a bill to prove it. :))))

[Tingum]

I am sorry that you had a bad experience; however travel in second and third world countries is never the same as travel in the USA. That is why we travel! You have to be able to kick back and appreciate the show, even if it is happening to you. I will take TCB over any airport in the USA anytime!!

[captruss24]

Yeah well Verizon does not work anywhere on the island, but I was not expecting to make any cell phone calls while I was on vacation to begin with.

Thanks for the responses to my concern. I will contact Continental and discuss this with a supervisor, hopefully. I understand that Gulfstream is the carrier, but Cont. is the partner who we booked our tickets with, meaning they should have a financial obligation in this matter.

As for the calling card, I did have a sprint international calling card, but could not access it since the only long distance provider the airport had was AT&T.

[floridacargocat]

captruss24, send me an e-mail. I may have some info for you.

[researchermomrn]

Sorry about your mishap in getting home. I just booked 13 flights on Chalks I hope our experience is better. I am going down to Green Turtle next month and my understanding is that Cingular will work as long as you have international service. Is that correct? I also need to bring my laptop to do work I am counting on my wireless to work it is ATT

[JJ]

I don't think wireless is available yet on Green Turtle Cay.

Let us know how you like Chalks. Are you flying from West Palm?

[BahamaAngie]

My daughter has Cingular and it worked while we were in TC but wow! her bill!

[BahamaAngie]

Verizon does NOT work as my son has brought it the past 2 years. Verizon does not have whatever it needs to have service in Abaco. The Id phone card worked well and Batelco.

[researchermomrn]

4 people will be going out of West Palm . The rest out of FLL. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the input on the phones

[Sail41]

I believe that both Cingular and TMobile are GSM phones and that is why they work pretty much anywhere and verizon hasn't caught on to that technology. As has been said "What a Bill for a few minutes of Talk" It'll take your breath away.

[gatorman71]

I believe you have a GSM phone to operate in The Bahamas. Verizon uses a different standard.

[JJ]

Our T-Mobile phones did not get service in Treasure Cay or Green Turtle Cay.

[island daze]

Yuo have to have a GSM phone to work in the Abacos