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Posted By: smallbean Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 12:42 AM
"They" say to allow 2 hours before flying out. I can land with Tropic air 1.5 hours ahead of my connect, or 2.5 hours. Sure we would rather cut an hour off the day. How crazy or sane is BZE?
Posted By: champion Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 12:53 AM
Do the 1.5hrs, more than enough time.
Posted By: klcman Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 01:27 AM
Unless there is a stop on Caulker and at Muni, then it might be a bit tight. Just check with Tropic earlier in the day and see.
Posted By: sweetjane Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 02:18 PM
bz isnt insane at all, just a different than here. go with the flow, and keep expectations at home, and you will be fine.

i suggest u book the earlier flight. tropic's standard MO is if you miss the earlier one, due to any reason, they will just plunk you on the next. the tropic flight is never a worry...they always get u there. once you land at international, the rest goes smoothly.

no worries. smile
Posted By: Peter Jones Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 02:50 PM
I'd be inclined to go on the earlier flight. One day the authorities at the International may decide to implement the 2 hour rule, as have several other airports.

If you book on a flight and miss it, you are NOT automatically put on the next one. What happens if that is full?
Posted By: D.O.A. Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 03:06 PM
I am with Peter on this one, as I have seen them go both ways at Goldson before. One time I saw them holding the Taca flight going south, because Miss Belize was running late (she came running into the airport as you heard the jet screaming down the runway, very upset)and another time a person that I know first hand was denied boarding going to the US, because she arrived at the airport counter an hour and fifteen minutes before her flight (took longer than normal to get bags off the puddle jumper) and by the time they got through the line it was under an hour.

I have walked up to the counter twenty minutes before a flight to the US and gotten on, so it is a total crap shoot and I guess that it just depends on which way the wind is blowing.

As far as tropic (this was a couple years ago before fuel skyrocketed), I have seen them pullout another small plane and send it out if they were overbooked on the caravan (generally a much smaller Cessna 172 or the like, I know I was on it to Goldson)
Posted By: ScubaLdy Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 03:58 PM
One time Tropic took just two of us to international on a TINY little plane. I've never had a problem with Tropic.
Posted By: sweetjane Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 05:57 PM
guess you & i have been lucky enough to not have miss belize flying the same day we fly, harriette. smile

peter & DOA have good points, things do happen unexpectedly...but i suppose unless one flies very late in the day, there is always another plane taking off soon enough.

in 10 trips in 2.5 years (except once our luggage got to the island 20 minutes b4 we did, and once 20 minutes after us) we never had a problem with Tropic.

Posted By: Peter Jones Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 09:10 PM
But there's a world of difference between being booked on a flight and missing through no fault of your own, and deliberately choosing to go later. Tropic really do bend over backwards to help, but at the end of the day they do have to make a profit.

I'll just add here that this conversation only applies to Tropic. With Maya you have no idea when you'll get there, if at all.
Posted By: shuffles Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 09:50 PM
I would go for the 2.5 hours. Several years ago, we were late leaving San Pedro which caused us to arrive at Goldson one hour and forty minutes before our flight departed. The security and Continental personnel bumped us off our flight. Thankfully, we had been scheduled on Continental's early flight and there were seats on the afternoon flight. When I schedule guests' flights out, I always err on the side of more time. If they insist on taking a later flight, I explain the possibilities and do what they ask.
Posted By: swanno Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 10:35 PM
We have done about 30 trips over the last 5/6 years, definitely take the earlier flight. We were bumped off our flight on American once when we had about 1.5 hours before our flight. We always allow at least 2 hours at BZE
Take the early flight then check in, get rid of your bags then go upstairs into one of the 2 restaurants (we prefer the Sun Garden) and relax with some nice stewed chicken and a few more Belikins!!


Posted By: Peter Jones Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 10:53 PM
... although it's not recommended that you drink much alcohol before flying. For a short flight it probably doesn't matter too much, but over a longer one it substantially increases the risk of a blood clot forming.
Posted By: seashell Re: Belize International Airport - 03/11/10 11:48 PM
I've missed my Tropic Flight by 1 minute. Had to pay again to be able to get onto the next plane. No fault but my own. At least it didn't mess up my international flight.

I try to check-in by computer for my international flight. Wouldn't that take care of the problem with the international flight?
Posted By: klcman Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 12:00 AM
Seems it MIGHT
Posted By: Northern Canuck Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 03:53 AM
Can you now do online check-in for USAirways and Continental? Last time I tried I couldn't.
Posted By: klcman Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 04:17 AM
Available for several years @ CO
Posted By: LaurieMar Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 06:23 AM
Continental has never let me check in on-line for an international flight - when the check by e-mail is sent, I have tried it and it always says I need to check in with an agent at the airport with passport.
Posted By: Northern Canuck Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 01:01 PM
I have been able to do international check in but not from Belize.
Posted By: klcman Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 02:57 PM
perhaps it' my FF status, but I've been doing it for years, no matter where I travel. Still need to check-in at counter, but the advance check-in still works, and you can also modify seating choice.
Posted By: ScubaLdy Re: Belize International Airport - 03/12/10 06:10 PM
I'm with swanno - go early and go upstairs to Sun Garden (not the other one). They have good food at very reasonable prices. You will not have food on your flight and if you are making a connection you probably won't have time to eat between planes. It's a good idea to buy a piece of fruit and some snack like nuts to get you home on.

Do not buy your bottled water before you go through security. You can get that on the other side.
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