CAL BUS(S) SERVICE

[Skanky]

Recently I had the misfortune of flying CAL as every flight with them is and has always been.

In the past few years I've noticed their new bus service to transport people to and from the planes? Why is this necessary? Can't people just walk like every other country in the world or how it used to be before the buses were introduced?

Why is it though that when you get to Trinidad there is always something preventing you from disembarking from the planes?
They are always waiting on somebody before passengers can disembark. Customs,immigration,security,ministry of agriculture or some other official.

I recently had to wait maybe 20 minutes in a crowded tin can with no ac on. WTF! Why does this only happen in the entire world with the great CAL?

I witnessed two people having claustrophobia/panic attacks while waiting for so long and they weren't allowed to disembark just to get some relief.

If anybody knows a good reason why passengers have to endure this wait please shed some light on this.

CAL needs to do better.

Disclaimer: This is not a corporate complaint just trying to find out the reason for this.

[jehusaunders]

Cal isn’t the only airline that does this. When I was in Lisbon Portugal I was also ferried to the airplane via a bus.

[Skanky]

^ When I was in Lisbon I wasn't ferried via bus to the plane.

The point isn't the bus yunno it's the bus service.....in a little 2 by 4 airport such as Piarco . You could send a flying carpet for all I care just let it be on time.

But why oh why must one always have to wait 10-30 minutes to disembark from CAL flights sometimes in the hot sun with the AC turned off?

If CAL is incapable of being punctual why don't they just revert to the old ways and let people walk?

And why aren't there provisions for persons who may suffer valid medical conditions while waiting?

[maj. tom]

Maybe they changed policy about allowing civvies access to anywhere outside of designated safe zones and paths. Piarco doing some runway paving right now too. Really, having anyone walk to a plane on the tarmac these days at an international airport is a serious no no and asking for security and OSHA trouble.

[Dohplaydat]

I think this is more an airport issue than a CAL issue.

Secondly, bro almost every airport in the world does bus service including Barbados.

[ADONI]

Comeback when you take a train to move from one terminal to the next!

[MaxPower]

Skank,

As you rightly said, the passengers can walk.

It’s the pilots and flight attendants who constantly complain about how far the walk is, not all, but most of them.

Hot aircraft are due to lack of ground support electrics/air.

But yes, the great CAL who boasts about an unaudited profit, hush hushing the $70m tax payer loan from the Govt earlier this year, as they continue to spend lavishly on marketing and putting their friends/families in redundant $60k+ salary positions and cannot pay their pilots properly, not to mention their rapid and worrying expansion.

Btw what is the story with the cockroach infestation on the tobago plane?

[Chimera]

Next time it happen start to cuss and tell dem yuh walking.

[Habit7]

Is it that they are using a bus to go to the ATRs or B737s?

[Skanky]

For god's sake it's not the bus that is the problem!!!!

It's the wait time to get off the planes and seeing people having issues while waiting in the heat..claustrophobia,panic attacks, shortness of breath, generally feeling unwell, unable to use the bathrooms etc

Why does it take 10-30 minutes to deplane passengers ?

[MaxPower]

Next time it happen start to cuss and tell dem yuh walking.

Must be escorted by an agent.

AATT love to rough up passengers.

[MaxPower]

Is it that they are using a bus to go to the ATRs or B737s?

The ATRs dem as they park in the open.

The 737 have the finger thing that does attach

[maj. tom]

They have to wait for the Airport authority to assign a gate, organize and approve cargo unloading, safety check and the coordinate with the pilots to approve passenger debarkation, and then it's business class exiting first. I mean this isn't something unique to CAL. It's the airport that mainly controls all these functions and in large airports the wait time on the tarmac can be long depending on the exiting volume at immigration, customs and even the baggage conveyor system.

[wing]

They have to wait for the Airport authority to assign a gate, organize and approve cargo unloading, safety check and the coordinate with the pilots to approve passenger debarkation, and then it's business class exiting first. I mean this isn't something unique to CAL. It's the airport that mainly controls all these functions and in large airports the wait time on the tarmac can be long depending on the exiting volume at immigration, customs and even the baggage conveyor system.

He probably doesn't travel often, so his experience will be jarring. Also, as soon as the plane stop everybody jump out they seat and stand up like is black Friday, as if that will make them open the door more quickly.

[paid_influencer]

For god's sake it's not the bus that is the problem!!!!

It's the wait time to get off the planes and seeing people having issues while waiting in the heat..claustrophobia,panic attacks, shortness of breath, generally feeling unwell, unable to use the bathrooms etc

Why does it take 10-30 minutes to deplane passengers ?

you should really pose these questions to the airport authority. there are procedures to go through and if these aren't being done quickly enough, well there you go.

but i would say good on you for highlighting the issue. it is a legitimate question and affecting people. maybe if there is public pressure the AATT/customs/immigration/whoever will get more resources, streamline procedures and get everything done quicker so passengers don't have to deal with the delays.

i would suggest you record your experience on the video and forward to whichever ministry the AATT falls under
failing that send it to newsauce or similar for publication

[Habit7]

Is it that they are using a bus to go to the ATRs or B737s?

The ATRs dem as they park in the open.

The 737 have the finger thing that does attach

Thanks Capt. Obvious but OP said it is something new. Providing a bus service for the ATRs for the airbridge is nothing new and is implemented if it is raining, it is too hot or ppl physically can’t make such a long walk. This is regular thing for airports around the world.

My biggest complain would be that they use PTSC buses which are not the best for ppl with hand luggage. In other airports they use low flat floor buses with multiple very wide doors and limited seats.

[paid_influencer]

the bus thing safer. last time i went tobago they had me walking infront of a set of people and i didnt really know if i was following the right person and i was distracted by everything and i was the wrong person to be doing that

[Dizzy28]

Is it that they are using a bus to go to the ATRs or B737s?

The ATRs dem as they park in the open.

The 737 have the finger thing that does attach

Thanks Capt. Obvious but OP said it is something new. Providing a bus service for the ATRs for the airbridge is nothing new and is implemented if it is raining, it is too hot or ppl physically can’t make such a long walk. This is regular thing for airports around the world.

My biggest complain would be that they use PTSC buses which are not the best for ppl with hand luggage. In other airports they use low flat floor buses with multiple very wide doors and limited seats.

For Carnival the buses I saw they used (my flight included) to get to the ATRs were airport specific buses that also had motorized wheel chair ramps that folded onto the bus itself.

[Habit7]

Is it that they are using a bus to go to the ATRs or B737s?

The ATRs dem as they park in the open.

The 737 have the finger thing that does attach

Thanks Capt. Obvious but OP said it is something new. Providing a bus service for the ATRs for the airbridge is nothing new and is implemented if it is raining, it is too hot or ppl physically can’t make such a long walk. This is regular thing for airports around the world.

My biggest complain would be that they use PTSC buses which are not the best for ppl with hand luggage. In other airports they use low flat floor buses with multiple very wide doors and limited seats.

For Carnival the buses I saw they used (my flight included) to get to the ATRs were airport specific buses that also had motorized wheel chair ramps that folded onto the bus itself.

Good to know. Last time I flew with the ATRs was a long walk.

[triniterribletim]

Buses are ubiquitous in airports worldwide, especially for domestic flights or cheaper airlines that don't want to pay skybridge docking fees. I've had buses in BEL, GRU, CNF, CWB, SCL and EZE for disembarkation with GOL, Azul, LATAM, SKY and Aerolíneas Argentina. Last airport where I had to do a walk from the airport both to and from the plane was in Paramaribo.

[Dohplaydat]

Buses are ubiquitous in airports worldwide, especially for domestic flights or cheaper airlines that don't want to pay skybridge docking fees. I've had buses in BEL, GRU, CNF, CWB, SCL and EZE for disembarkation with GOL, Azul, LATAM, SKY and Aerolíneas Argentina. Last airport where I had to do a walk from the airport both to and from the plane was in Paramaribo.

To add to that, waiting 20+ mins for a bus has happened to me in many airports and not really a big issue.

I kinda fall to understand how people getting claustrophobic on the plane on the ground but not in the air. But let me not discount their experience.

That said, Piarco is not a busy airport and most times there buses are there waiting when you start coming off the plane. There should be faster procedures in place for this.

[Chimera]

Skanky u ever travel on a plane besides cal?

[pugboy]

most airports in europe are old and little terminal expansions like in the western world
you have planes landing and parking far out on the tarmac

in frankfurt you have a plane parking the equivalent of by kfc st helena

[Skanky]

You people comparing apples to oranges.

You can't compare lil Piarco airport to one of those larger airports where you could drive for 20-30 minutes and still be within the airport. You must have buses,trains etc for people.

But in Piarco the actual bus drive takes around 1 minute, give or take. If you waked it would take 5 minutes give or take.

Why the arse CAL have people sitting dong in the hot sun with no AC when they could just foot it for 5 minutes?

CAL abusing allyuh and allyuh defending them.

[paid_influencer]

ah just asking,

u 100% sure is CAL making them decisions tho,

not AATT?

true the airporrt smaller but from a small area plenty fights does be going in and out and idk how what security and safety procedures they have to manage

[paid_influencer]

i does fraid getting sucked into the enginw

[Skanky]

^ Just like politics it doesn't matter who is making the policy,at the end of they day it's only the people suffering not the policymakers.

There are four solutions:

1.Continue with the buses but have them come on time...lol....in other countries buses and trains come to the second....not the minute yunno....the second!

2. Continue with the buses and know they won't come on time because a trini driving so at least leave your AC on so people don't overheat in your tin can in the hot sun.

3.Do away with the buses and let people walk.

4.Hybrid approach depending on weather.

[Gladiator]

Skanky u ever travel on a plane besides cal?

He is probably the most travelled tuner on tuner