LOVE BIRD (The Good Old Days Of Air Jamiaca)

I have noticed several postings about excellent airline service to Jamaica recently. Any of us who had the great fortune, luck and opportunity to travel to Jamaica back in the 60's, 70's and 80's will never forget the awesome service Air Jamaica provided. I am not sure what happened exactly but AJ used to be a JA Government owned airline. Service from JFK was almost always direct to MoBay or Kingston. Safe, punctual, clean and very fun. The beautiful Jamaican Stewardesses would give an inflight fashion show. Sometimes Champagne was served others Rum Bamboozle Punch which I believe might have been Overproofed based. It was so much fun. They also have great service from Miami too. The return would fly from MoBay to Kingston (A short hop) and you could disembark in Kingston and go into the duty free shop again. In those days security was not an issue and I remember buying a bottle of Appleton or Tia Maria and partying on the flight back to JFK.

As times progressed AJ became a big player in the transit of Ganja to the USA, etc... and was referred to at the time as Ganja Air. They were always busting planes full of Ganj and latter Coke (in the 80's). Not sure how the death spiral continued but today as far as I know Air Jamaica is nothing but a fond memory.

A couple of years ago I flew from JFK to Kingston on AJ (Run by Caribbean Airlines). Big mistake. I got to the AJ (CA) departure terminal for a 7:00am flight to be told the flight was cancelled and the next flight was 24 hours later. I was not very happy and luckily the lady signed my ticket over to American Airlines and I scrambled to the AA Terminal just in time to catch a flight to Miami and connect to Kingston.

The return was even worse. In Kingston I tried calling Air Jamaica aka Carribbean like twenty times only to get an answering machine. I finally drove to the Carribbean Airlines office in New Kingston, waited about an hour before anybody talked with me to reconfirm my flight back to JFK. Everything was great, no problem, etc... I get to the airport in Kingston in plenty of time and am waiting for the AJ / CA flight originating in Mobay to arrive and it never comes. We're talking 7:00pm now. After realizing that the plane is never coming I got lucky again and my ticket endorsed over to American and got the last seat available back to NYC that night. I had a meeting the next morning at work that if I missed would have meant my job. Got back to JFK at about 3:00am and home by 6:00.

That was two years ago so I don't know if they have gotten their act together since but Air Jamaica's loss has meant huge opportunities for AA, JetBlue, etc....

It is really a shame as it used to be the best airline I have ever flown.

Cool on that,
John
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The on plane service was fine but the tardiness was very hard to deal with. I finally stopped using AJ because the AC flight was not so tardy!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johng

I have noticed several postings about excellent airline service to Jamaica recently. Any of us who had the great fortune, luck and opportunity to travel to Jamaica back in the 60's, 70's and 80's will never forget the awesome service Air Jamaica provided. I am not sure what happened exactly but AJ used to be a JA Government owned airline. Service from JFK was almost always direct to MoBay or Kingston. Safe, punctual, clean and very fun. The beautiful Jamaican Stewardesses would give an inflight fashion show. Sometimes Champagne was served others Rum Bamboozle Punch which I believe might have been Overproofed based. It was so much fun. They also have great service from Miami too. The return would fly from MoBay to Kingston (A short hop) and you could disembark in Kingston and go into the duty free shop again. In those days security was not an issue and I remember buying a bottle of Appleton or Tia Maria and partying on the flight back to JFK.

As times progressed AJ became a big player in the transit of Ganja to the USA, etc... and was referred to at the time as Ganja Air. They were always busting planes full of Ganj and latter Coke (in the 80's). Not sure how the death spiral continued but today as far as I know Air Jamaica is nothing but a fond memory.

A couple of years ago I flew from JFK to Kingston on AJ (Run by Caribbean Airlines). Big mistake. I got to the AJ (CA) departure terminal for a 7:00am flight to be told the flight was cancelled and the next flight was 24 hours later. I was not very happy and luckily the lady signed my ticket over to American Airlines and I scrambled to the AA Terminal just in time to catch a flight to Miami and connect to Kingston.

The return was even worse. In Kingston I tried calling Air Jamaica aka Carribbean like twenty times only to get an answering machine. I finally drove to the Carribbean Airlines office in New Kingston, waited about an hour before anybody talked with me to reconfirm my flight back to JFK. Everything was great, no problem, etc... I get to the airport in Kingston in plenty of time and am waiting for the AJ / CA flight originating in Mobay to arrive and it never comes. We're talking 7:00pm now. After realizing that the plane is never coming I got lucky again and my ticket endorsed over to American and got the last seat available back to NYC that night. I had a meeting the next morning at work that if I missed would have meant my job. Got back to JFK at about 3:00am and home by 6:00.

That was two years ago so I don't know if they have gotten their act together since but Air Jamaica's loss has meant huge opportunities for AA, JetBlue, etc....

It is really a shame as it used to be the best airline I have ever flown.

Cool on that,
John
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Ahhhhh the good ole' days ;)

We use Caribbean Air (Air Jamaica) out of JFK twice a year. Non stop flight to Montego Bay leaves at 5:40 AM. Always leaves on time or very close. Hope I don't jinx ourselves for the next trip. Return flight to JFK is at 7PM. Last trip we were not so lucky with this one. It was delayed 5 hours but at least it did not cancel. In the waning days of AJ we had our flight cancelled but they did put us in an AI in MBJ for the night and provided transportation to/from hotel to airport. No more free champagne!

Even better in the 90's when Mr. Stewart took over.
Direct flights from Philadelphia, then an Air Jamaica hop from Montego Bay to Negril.
You could upgrade to 1st class at check-in for 50 bucks.

Papa Georgie,

What aircraft did AJ use from MoBay to Negril??? I remember the little Aerodrome that was across (maybe a little further beyond)from what is now Hedonism didn't have a very long runway.

Here is a shot of the Air Jamaica Port Antonio to Montego Bay commuter.
The Air Jamaica from Montego Bay to Negril might have been smaller (20 seats?).
Bigger than the Cessnas flying in there now though.
My memory fails me.

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I miss AJ for sure and my champagne breakfast, open bar, rum punch and all those great priced flights for 79$ each way from BWI. Trans Jamaica was a quick way to beat that 2 hour ride west. 15 minutes you were at the Aerodome.

Thanks Papa George,

Cool pic. I do remember Trans Jamaica (Green and black scheme I think) flying into Negril. I remember once standing on Negril Beach and watching an Air Jamaica jet which was bound for MoBay flying really close (a half mile or so) off shore. Usually the approach to Mobay started closer to Tryall / Hopewell if approaching from the west. It was so close I thought that maybe it had a problem or maybe I had a problem but it did happen (Only time in many trips to Negril).

TrewlawnyT,

Yes I remember some really inexpensive airfares with AJ from JFK and Miami ($100 RT from Miami). I never flew within the island unfortunately although many trips from MoBay to Kingston on the way to NYC, pretty low too over the Blue Mountains in route.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MoFromMonroe

We use Caribbean Air (Air Jamaica) out of JFK twice a year. Non stop flight to Montego Bay leaves at 5:40 AM. Always leaves on time or very close. Hope I don't jinx ourselves for the next trip. Return flight to JFK is at 7PM. Last trip we were not so lucky with this one. It was delayed 5 hours but at least it did not cancel. In the waning days of AJ we had our flight cancelled but they did put us in an AI in MBJ for the night and provided transportation to/from hotel to airport. No more free champagne!

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We also fly CA out of JFK- we LOVE the arrival and departure times! Dislike no more free champagne but however the last time we booked and this upcoming trip we could only get biz class and they do serve Moet :)

Gotta say that in the early 90's was my first experience with Air Jamaica....but it was filled with nothing but good memories. No delays that I can recall, free champagne, mimosa's, fashion shows and really pretty decent hot meals. Oh, the good old days!!!!!! Plus, landing and walking off the plane, feeling the warm breeze...entering the old airport with locals singing mento, etc. Truly, I do miss it all!!! Happy that I at least got to experience some of it! Would give my life to have been able to have traveled to Jamaica in the early 80's. But, it didn't happen. However, happy that I have the life experiences that I have had with Jamaica. Truly life changing!! Jamaica has given me much more that I can explain in so many ways. Ready to board US Airways....hit Charlotte...and head on into Mobay. Soon come..............:)

Still miss walking down the stairs and getting our first taste of Ja. Sunshine when departing the plane

Yetta and Original Spanky,

Yes it was for me coming in out of the cold. Often in New England wintertime I flew down to JA. Was like a blast furnace getting off the plane and descending the stairs on to the tarmac. In those days no AC in the terminal and by the time I got through customs and immigration I had a real sweat going. Yes the welcome from the local music band in the airport was very cool too. Back in the 70's and 80's it was a pretty long ride to Negril on the old road. I remember well the water wheel in Tryall as you passed the golf course. Back in those days it was usually a mini bus with about 10 people, no AC, sound system blastin Bob Marley or the latest hits with blown speakers, stoppin for Red Stripes along the way. Scenery was /is spectacular. The ride to Negril awesome. Get to Negril, set up the tent and jump in the bath water warm sea!!!! No problems mon!!!!