Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport review : 13 March  2009 : by Clive Drake

Customer Rating : 1/5

I have been flying to Antigua for 16 years and the airport is the same now as it was in 1993. On arrival with BA just pray you dont see a Virgin 747-400 and a BMI jet on the tarmac. Immigration is truly beyond your worst nightmares, up to 2 hours! On the return BA Club world passengers use a tatty lounge (landside) with the windows blocked out, overlooking a large seating area that is always empty. You get a free drink that can take half an hour from a lone waiter. Snacks consists of a few cream crackers, some cheese and celery with some strange dip. If the whole Club cabin decide to use the lounge; forget it! Security is to a high standard - but the staff the rudest on the planet. The plane is boarded by walking over the windy tarmac.

Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport review : 27 February 2009 : by L Hillson

Customer Rating : 1/5

Recently returned from Antigua. The airport is a disgrace but worse still are some of the staff employed. They do not know the meaning of 'customer relations' or how to work at any speed to get the queues moving. Entering the country was bad enough but on leaving I was stupid enough to ask a civil question as my hand luggage was going through the scanner to be shouted at more than once to "shut up, shut up, get your sunglasses and bracelet off, shut up". What a total disgrace! I felt I could not complain there and then as one feels very vulnerable in those situations.

Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport review : 26 January 2009 : by J Brockhurst

Customer Rating : 1/5

A very basic "bare bones" airport. You check in at airline desk which is opposite the taxi rank. The only flight information you will see in the entire airport is at the check in desk. The cafeteria is before the security check, and is up an external concrete staircase more commonly seen in a run down housing estate. The cafeteria seems to be reasonable enough, but those unwise enough to fly BA Business Class are ushered into a room that BA have the effrontery to call a lounge. Its possibly the largest room (and I mean room) that BA could find. Its dimly lit, ideal for those who choose to watch the football on the tv, but not so convenient for those who choose to read. Furnished with darkwood furniture it has the appearance of a slightly worn 2* hotel from the fifties. The view through the window is into the seating area of the cafeteria, nothing external. Drinks are brought by a a waiter from the bar outside, and as for "nibbles" you help yourself to the few miserable offerings of cheese situated on a dresser. Virgin passengers have access to the "Sticky Wicket" over the road (this is a bar in the cricket club). Antigua is truly a wonderful country with people to match, so don't judge the country by its airport.

Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport review : 7 November 2008 : by C Swan

Customer Rating : 1/5

Arrived on BA flight from LGW. Very full flight for the cricket so had to queue to ages to clear through immigration. Not helped by the fact that 2 young ladies didn’t know where their accommodation was (why are they so fussy about this?) and one inebriated passenger had lost his passport. Porters were very pushy and hard to get rid of. Departed on 3 Nov - a nightmare. Flights were very full and so there were long queues to check in, not helped by the fact there are no self service machines. None of the ATMs at the airport or the nearby Bank of Antigua were working so we ended up having to borrow money off other passengers to pay our departure tax. Not sure what this tax is for given the woeful state of the airport. Again long queues for immigration – perhaps they were wary of our NZ passports? Very few shops, not enough seats, café inadequate. Worst airport I have ever been to and a disappointing end to an otherwise fantastic trip.

Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport review : 28 April 2008 : by Nick Parker

Customer Rating : 1/5

Arrived today at Antigua airport from Anguilla en route to Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic but scheduled 2 hour wait was reduced to 1 hour after delay to first flight. No assistance provided at airport to find luggage and airport staff were uncooperative and unfriendly. We were given the choice to board without luggage or miss the connection and wait for luggage despite their still being an hour to departure.

Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport by Craig Covil

8 April 2008   Customer Rating :

I concur with Geoff Isaacs comment, the best thing on departing is to get there early, check in - lose the luggage and go for a cold beer (Carib) across the road at the Sticky Wicket, good food too. This airport is very tired and when hot the terminal building lounge is very sweaty - not what you want just before you get on board a long haul flight. They should demolish this and get a new terminal building with lots of passive ventilation. Last time I departed the security scanning machine for hand luggage broke down, so nothing got scanned. Lovely people. Lovely country.

Antigua VC Bird Int'l Airport by Geoff Isaacs

18 March 2006   Customer Rating : n/a

First of all make sure you have the correct paperwork given you by the airline in flight, despite flying BWIA, all on our flight were 1 form short per persons including children. Once through the security check getting in the luggage came quite quickly on the antiquated carousel, ignore the porters its only a short trip to the exit. On return get there as early as poss if you don't like queuing, because every case is searched prior to check in, we arrived slightly more than 3 hours early under our own transport, this meant it only took 30 mins to check in, then paid the $25 tax to leave (to be abolished soon). Rather than go in the departure lounge we headed across the road to the Stickey wicket cricket ground/bar/museum, where we languished in luxury while watching a floodlit pro/am cricket match. we went back to the airport 1 hour before departure. the departure lounge has nice shops, but I wouldn't have liked to have been sat there for more than an hour. Once called to gate (one gate with several airline desks!) we were pointed in the direction of the walkway and set off to board the plane, from this point we never saw another airport official until at the top of the steps at the plane, it was dark and non experience flyers could have easily boarded the First Choice aircraft by mistake. On the whole not a bad experience, but improved by going to the Stickey wicket (believe Virgin passengers are given vouchers to spend there)










 

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