Planning a trip to Belize for late Oct-Nov got some questions

[Downing]

Randy,

Any particular reason you chose Continental over American?

I've found the latter to be consistently cheaper. Flight time's comparable. The AA flight out of PDX leaves at the same time as Continental. Change planes in Dallas and arrive in BZ City around 2:30.

 

[billmosel]

Check out Island Divers Welcome to Island Divers Belize Rudy is THE best dive guide on the island IMHO.

 

[peterbj7]

I agree about Island Divers, but White Sands is a lot closer in this case.

 

[JimJam2]

...you always have the possibility of your luggage arriving one plane behind you.

Soft luggage is key to having your luggage when you do; the single engine props cannot accomodate a lot of "Samsonite" type hard luggage bags.

 

[yakivet]

Randy,

Any particular reason you chose Continental over American?

I've found the latter to be consistently cheaper. Flight time's comparable. The AA flight out of PDX leaves at the same time as Continental. Change planes in Dallas and arrive in BZ City around 2:30.

Agreed! I was kinda wondering the same thing. I usually fly mileage plan but every time I've priced a ticket, Continental is usually a bit higher. As a plus, On the way home if you end up overnighting in Dallas, there's a great hotel right in the airport. :42:

 

[yakivet]

Soft luggage is key to having your luggage when you do; the single engine props cannot accomodate a lot of "Samsonite" type hard luggage bags.

Agreed! But They can't accomodate a lot of ANY bags!! :42:

 

[JimJam2]

As a plus, On the way home if you end up overnighting in Dallas, there's a great hotel right in the airport. :42:

Doc which hotel is that? I came pretty darn close to needing one last trip (as AA was an hour late departing and I had a 75 minute connection to make).

 

[jlevine]

Agreed! But They can't accomodate a lot of ANY bags!! :42:

Yes, that's true. But one thing I've noticed with TropicAir (not sure about Maya Air) is that they go out of the way to get baggage where it needs to get on time.

Each time I arrive in Belize and check in with Tropic Air, they ask where your final destination is (your hotel, etc.). Make sure you have that information with you. They will somehow get your bags to you.

Even when you leave Ambergris, they make sure your bags get to your international flight. When I left Ambergris Caye during my most recent trip, I remember boarding the plane and watching them load bags...and I didn't see mine. When the plane took off for Belize City, I had the sinking feeling that all my baggage would be lost. When I arrived in Belize City and walked into the terminal I was shocked to see that my baggage had been shipped to the airport on an earlier flight.

I'm not saying glitches won't happen. But....Tropic Air is pretty impressive.

 

[Downing]

Doc which hotel is that? I came pretty darn close to needing one last trip (as AA was an hour late departing and I had a 75 minute connection to make).

Actually, there are two hotels. The Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency. Both are accessible by SkyTrain, the monorail that runs through the airport concourses.

Our connection to the BZ flight is always scheduled for less than an hour after we're due in Dallas. Last year, we got to DFW a little late so we got off the plane in Concourse C, caught the monorail to Concourse D, walked up to our Gate and straight onto the plane, pausing only long enough to show our boarding passes.

Sooner or later, I'm going to be spending the night at one or the other.

 

[peterbj7]

we got off the plane in Concourse C, caught the monorail to Concourse D, walked up to our Gate and straight onto the plane, pausing only long enough to show our boarding passes

You wouldn't do that if you were non-American. I've missed connecting flight when in theory I had five hours.