Tim Air questions

**jsquared** · 03-30-2017, 04:00 PM

Fly into MJB on Saturday morning from LA (US) We have booked a flight with Tim Air but have a couple of questions. 1 - Do you tip the pilot? If so, what is reasonable? We are paying 300 USD for the two of us. 2 - How much should it be for ground transport from Negril airport (air strip?) to Hedo? We were quoted $160, then $100 to get us from there to Hedo. Seems a bit high...

Thanks!!

Warm wished to all!

J2

**2naughty** · 03-30-2017, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by jsquared

Fly into MJB on Saturday morning from LA (US) We have booked a flight with Tim Air but have a couple of questions. 1 - Do you tip the pilot? If so, what is reasonable? We are paying 300 USD for the two of us. 2 - How much should it be for ground transport from Negril airport (air strip?) to Hedo? We were quoted $160, then $100 to get us from there to Hedo. Seems a bit high...

Thanks!!

Warm wished to all!

J2

Never flew Tim air but that seems very high to the best of my knowledge it's only 10-15 mins away? I'm sure a fellow hedo friend can confirm.

**Cdn_cpl** · 03-30-2017, 04:38 PM

The Negril airstrip is literally right across the street from Hedo, you could walk if you wanted to. If you cab it, pay no more than $5. Are you sure they're not quoting in Jamaican dollars? $J160 is about $1.25 US.

**jsquared** · 03-30-2017, 05:02 PM

That is hilarious! I never realized it was so close. I rarely heard a plane while at Hedo. Google maps says it is a 6 minute walk. I think we can handle 550 meters. It won't be the heat of the day and we only have 1 large bag and 1 small. Thanks for the help!! The quotes we got were a mistake - they were from MJB - which is what I thought.

**2naughty** · 03-30-2017, 05:05 PM

You will see them every so often when they carry hedo guests they usually do a fly by and tilt the wings. Yes I figured they quoted you from mjb. Glad you got it sorted!

**toohorny** · 03-30-2017, 05:13 PM

We booked with Tim Air in 2015...here is our experience...

Our flight landed 20 minutes late, we were booked with Tim Air with another couple from another city, our flights were supposed to land within 5 minutes of each other. When we got to Tim Air, they told us our flight has left because we were late (the other couple did complain and pointed out that our plane was only 15 minutes late), they were told that they had to leave now....we still kid them that they stole our plane because we came up with the idea to fly.... We were told that we would have to wait for about an hour for the next flight...we said that was not going to work, and expressed our displeasure, we booked to get to negril faster and for a fun experience. The guy at Tim Air then asked if we would be willing to fly AirTram (I think thats their name), we said yes and they accepted the price we paid for Tim Air.

We met the Air rep, had a luggage guy grab our bags and walk to security, he wanted a tip for 50 feet of luggage transport, once thru security (it was no line and fast) another luggage guy grabbed our bags and brought them to the tarmac, he also wanted a tip, another guy loaded our stuff (and another couples bags) on to the plane (they did ask our weight and our bags weights...if too heavy they said they will bring our bags on a later flight....not really a good option for us, so I lied about weight...The Mrs also lied in the other direction....we have scuba dived on planes in Negril and did not want people diving on our crash site in the future, lol, but the loaders wanted a tip too. Once in Negril, the plane was unloaded and those guys wanted a tip, then the guys that hauled our bags...100 feet...to the shack where you paid wanted a tip. We asked a taxi how much to Hedo and we were told 20, we knew it was across the street so we said no, 5 bucks, he said he could not do it for that and said 10. We said we will walk, he then said 5 was ok...it was less than a 2 minute drive. At Hedo, the driver reminded us that he works on tips. Also, when we landed the pilot also asked for a tip.

We were not thrilled with all the expected tips, yes we gave a couple bucks each time, but it got old.

The flight...they packed us in like sardines, the other lady had a carry on bag on her lap too. But, the flight was enjoyable, we are glad we did it, however it may be a one time thing for us.

**Danny Boy** · 03-30-2017, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by jsquared

That is hilarious! I never realized it was so close. I rarely heard a plane while at Hedo. Google maps says it is a 6 minute walk. I think we can handle 550 meters. It won't be the heat of the day and we only have 1 large bag and 1 small. Thanks for the help!! The quotes we got were a mistake - they were from MJB - which is what I thought.

Dont walk! very sketchy street. its like 5 bucks and there is always a cab waiting.

**Cdn_cpl** · 03-30-2017, 05:49 PM

We have walked up and down Norman Manley Blvd many times and never had an issue. We've often walked out to the street to grab a route taxi, much cheaper than the taxis that are waiting outside Hedo; also never had a issue. It is no less safe than any major street in any American city.

**Davenrose** · 03-31-2017, 01:26 AM

We have flown Tim Air and Air Link (Air Link is always a little cheaper) The poster above nailed it regarding the tips...it just gets old. The think you have to decide...the flight from Mobay to Negril is only about 12-15 minutes in the air, the bus ride is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on traffic and stops.

Enjoy your trip

**Allan_Elizabeth** · 03-31-2017, 07:44 AM

Ab to Hedo from the Negril Aerodrome is $5 a person. Like others have said it is perfectly safe to walk on Norman Manley Blvd. But I would cab it to Hedo. The road leading to the hotel is a mess because of construction at the property across from Hedos entrance.

**happy2us** · 03-31-2017, 09:34 AM

By the time you finish waiting for the local flight and airplane packing and unpacking, packing the local taxi to take you across the street in Negril....you could have taken a private driver like Ashton Pitt for $100 round trip, no stops, safe and at Hedo in 1:15. I'm all about efficiency and the TimAir equation doesn't seem efficient at all. Private driver you walk outside Montego Bay airport, get in the car and gone....to Hedo lobby. No brainer for us.

**SexInTheSuburbs** · 03-31-2017, 12:27 PM

Doesn't sound like it saves you much time.. I guess what you are really paying for is the better views on the way there?

**D and C** · 03-31-2017, 01:15 PM

We usually use Air link as planes are nicer and they take CC payments at no additional charge. Always take a cab from the Negril Aerodrome as it is usually too hot to walk. Road can be busy and no sidewalks, just gravel. Why bother walking for the few dollars it costs you. Never had to tip so many people. Carry bags your self to the Check in at MBJ and thru security. Give guy a few $$ to load bags in plane. We don't usually tip pilot, but I guess you could, if he lets you sit up front and fly plane. Much less painful than the hot long car transfer. The view is awesome and fun to take off at the main airport between the big jets landing. There have been accidents on the main road that have tied up traffic for hours.

**NatAndRob** · 03-31-2017, 06:54 PM

We've used TimAir once. As a few others have noted, there's a lot of tipping expected (take a pocket full of small bills with you). I live in a city where a lot of people live and die by their tips, so that aspect probably bothers me less than most. We had about a 10 minute wait on the tarmac for our airplane, 15 minutes to Negril, and another 5 minutes to get to Hedo. Overall, it probably cuts about 1/2 the time off compared to a private taxi, or 2/3 of the time vs one of the larger shuttle busses that stop at multiple hotels. Unless I was getting in pretty late in the day and really wanted to shave 45 minutes or an hour off of my travel, I'd probably opt for a private taxi - it's not much more than the bus, but it's faster and a more pleasant ride. Ashton Pitt (mentioned above) is a great one to use.

All that being said, it's a really pretty, pleasant flight. If you like sight seeing from the air, I'd say it's worth the experience for that.

**Canadapaula** · 04-04-2017, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by toohorny

We booked with Tim Air in 2015...here is our experience...

Our flight landed 20 minutes late, we were booked with Tim Air with another couple from another city, our flights were supposed to land within 5 minutes of each other. When we got to Tim Air, they told us our flight has left because we were late (the other couple did complain and pointed out that our plane was only 15 minutes late), they were told that they had to leave now....we still kid them that they stole our plane because we came up with the idea to fly.... We were told that we would have to wait for about an hour for the next flight...we said that was not going to work, and expressed our displeasure, we booked to get to negril faster and for a fun experience. The guy at Tim Air then asked if we would be willing to fly AirTram (I think thats their name), we said yes and they accepted the price we paid for Tim Air.

We met the Air rep, had a luggage guy grab our bags and walk to security, he wanted a tip for 50 feet of luggage transport, once thru security (it was no line and fast) another luggage guy grabbed our bags and brought them to the tarmac, he also wanted a tip, another guy loaded our stuff (and another couples bags) on to the plane (they did ask our weight and our bags weights...if too heavy they said they will bring our bags on a later flight....not really a good option for us, so I lied about weight...The Mrs also lied in the other direction....we have scuba dived on planes in Negril and did not want people diving on our crash site in the future, lol, but the loaders wanted a tip too. Once in Negril, the plane was unloaded and those guys wanted a tip, then the guys that hauled our bags...100 feet...to the shack where you paid wanted a tip. We asked a taxi how much to Hedo and we were told 20, we knew it was across the street so we said no, 5 bucks, he said he could not do it for that and said 10. We said we will walk, he then said 5 was ok...it was less than a 2 minute drive. At Hedo, the driver reminded us that he works on tips. Also, when we landed the pilot also asked for a tip.

We were not thrilled with all the expected tips, yes we gave a couple bucks each time, but it got old.

The flight...they packed us in like sardines, the other lady had a carry on bag on her lap too. But, the flight was enjoyable, we are glad we did it, however it may be a one time thing for us.

To be expected in Jamaica