username 34

they've gone and changed the Virgin flights to Heathrow instead of Gatwick and changed departure from BGI to 10.30pm and arrival into BGI at 8.30pm WTF??!!

apparantly its only from Dec until March but once they've done this I rekon they'll keep it this way.

its a nightmare for us! Heathrow is awful and connections to Canouan now dont tie up soo mean an overnight stay in BGI inbound and a 7 hour layover in BGI outbound .... oh joy!

ex_exile

Its probably only for the winter season.

tooposh

They are using the old Air Jam slots from heathrow and testing the waters to see if it suits passengers

melmalsyd

are you still in canouan. We are thinking of moving to take up employment. can you e-mail us at [email protected]. We have some questions that we would like to ask you.
Mal

cocopops

We are flying over on 5th May and we leave from Gatwick at 10am so maybe it is only for the season (these new times) We would hate to fly those times also we wouldny bother if they kept them we would go with another company

_Tropical_11th

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Virgin purchased landing slots from Air Jamaica at Heathrow that were "grandfathered" and that's why the change.... Believe me it has been a political football in the Caribbean too. Barbados and Jamaica are again sparring.

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B'dos gets Ja's Heathrow slots
Virgin to reduce summer flights to Jamaica
DESMOND ALLEN, Executive Editor - Operations
Thursday, October 25, 2007

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...ROW_SLOTS_.asp

VIRGIN Atlantic has decided to move its Barbados flights from Gatwick to London's Heathrow, in the slots controversially sold by Air Jamaica, impeccable Observer sources said yesterday.

The decision which means that the highly prized slots have gone to a competing Caribbean destination, comes a week before Virgin, the United Kingdom's second largest carrier, launches its new twice-a-week Gatwick to Kingston flights under the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Air Jamaica in May this year.
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Jamaican minister calls Gatwick slots 'junk' in Virgin row
02.11.07
http://www.uk-airport-news.info/gatw...ws-021107a.htm

The Jamaican Minister of Transport and Works, Mike Henry, has vowed to review a contract between Air Jamaica and Virgin Atlantic, saying the country was given a raw deal with 'junk' slots at Gatwick Airport when the flights switched between the two carriers. Virgin gained Air J's slots at Heathrow for £5.1m as part of the deal, but Mr Henry wants them back.

Virgin launched flights this week between Gatwick and Kingston as part of a deal to take over London - Jamaica flights from Air Jamaica. The Jamaican airline, which is government owned, had been making a significant loss on the route, projected to be US$30m reach year, which it operated to London's Heathrow Airport. Virgin switched the flights to Gatwick and bought the Heathrow slots to use on other routes, with one report suggesting they could be used for flights to rival Caribbean destination Barbados.
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Air Jamaica's loss is Barbados' gain
Wednesday, 07 November 2007
http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/13211/46/

Barbados has benefited from Air Jamaica’s sale of its slots at the Heathrow airport.

Earlier this year, the then Jamaica government sold its slots at Heathrow to Virgin Atlantic and Barbadian tourism minister, Noel Lynch says Barbados has taken advantage of this.

He was at the time speaking during the opening of the new airline association of Barbados executive lounge at the Grantley Adams International Airport. [ http://www.gaiainc.bb/ ]

The tourism minister said government has managed a major breakthrough by striking a deal with Virgin Atlantic to provide additional airlift out of Heathrow.

Mr. Lynch said too government has spent about 200 million dollars on refurbishing the airport and that is just the beginning.
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BA unhappy with Air Jamaica's deal with Virgin
30.05.07
http://www.uk-airport-news.info/gatw...ews-300507.htm

British Airways has reacted angrily to a decision by the Jamaican government to back a code share deal between Virgin Atlantic and Air Jamaica that will see Virgin take over Air Jamaica's London - Kingston route. Virgin will move the flights from Heathrow to Gatwick, and has bought Air Jamaica's Heathrow slots as part of the deal.

Dragonflies

Hi Islandmum

As you seem to be the fount of all knowledge in the waters of St Vincents etc, I wondered if you could drop me an email as there are a couple of questions I have about canouan and I understand you live there?

Thanking you in advance! My email is [email protected]

username 34

done~

Dragonflies

Thanks - emailed you back!