Grantley Adams International Airport Barbados

When arriving into Barbados you will fly into Grantley Adams International Airport. Grantley Adams International Airport is located in Seawell, Christchurch, Barbados which is the South of the Island. The Airport was originally named the Seawell Airport (after its location) however the name was changed to Grantley Adams International Airport after the First Premier of Barbados in 1976 Sir Grantley Herbert Adams (April 12th 1898 – November 28th , 1971). Grantley Adams is also one of Barbados Ten National Hero’s.

The history of the Airport goes back to around the late 1930’s and one of the first planes to land there was from the Royal Netherlands Airlines, however this was probably a bit nerve racking at the time for the pilot as there was little but an unkempt grassy strip. In the late forties in 1949 the first terminal was built and since then the Airport has progressed to be a modern and well-run Airport after a massive refurbishment and expansion between 2000-2006.

Arrivals

Flying into Barbados is generally a pleasurable experience as when exiting the plane you walk straight down the attached stairs and get the feel the heat and environment straight off the plane, nine times out of ten it will be hot and sunny and the eight and a half hour flight from the UK (approx) will be worth it. The ground staff who are extremely helpful will meet you and they will show you in which direction to go through into passport control. The walk to passport control is only a short five minute walk however wheelchairs can be supplied if requested. Once you are in the terminal building and waiting to go through customs, there are approximately 8-10 passport control booths working and your wait should be around 45 minutes (depending on how quickly you got off the plane and how full your flight was). Once through passport control you will be directed to the baggage claim area and generally this will be a quick service as Grantley Adams International is a small Airport and they do not allow more than a couple of flights coming in at once. When at the baggage claim you may be approached by gentleman in red caps or T-Shirts these men are official baggage carriers at the Airport, although you will not find many unofficial carriers its always worth knowing about. These men work on tips so please tip if you use one approx $10 US dollars is acceptable, however you can carry your own luggage if you do not want to tip. Once baggage has been received you may exit the airport, however please be aware on the plane you will be given a green visa slip to fill out, please fill this out on the plane and hand in on the way out (there will be an official waiting at the Customs area) as they will not let you out of the airport without a filled out slip. Walk through customs and then out of the airport to be greeted by your transfer, relatives or hire car.

If you have not arranged a specific transfer then there are plenty of taxis waiting outside for pick up however please be advised to agree your price before getting into the taxi.

Please be aware that there is not a shop in the airport arrivals to get refreshments however directly outside there are shops and a petrol station, so if you are waiting around for about an hour then a bottle of water kept on you is advisable.

Departures

Now that you had a fantastic holiday in Barbados its time to leave and you must head back to the Airport. There are several check in desks for various airlines directly outside the airport, however to save time its always better to check in online about 24 hours before hand if your airline offers this facility. Once checked in you can have a last minute bite to eat before going airside at the Chefette fast food restaurant located just outside the terminal. Once airside through security you will find some excellent shops including a perfumery, a tobacconist and alcohol shop, various souvenir shops and a few eateries and places to get some beverages. Also there is a bureau de change and a collection point for any tax-free purchases you may have made.

If you are lucky enough to be travelling business, upper or first class then a club lounge if available for use which has an internet café and free food and beverages on hand, however an invitation is necessary to get in which is supplied at the check in desk. Alternatively there is a comfortable waiting area to sit in and relax before your flight departs.

Standard check in is normally around two hours before the flight for most airlines however check you tickets or confirmation of bookings beforehand so you don’t miss you flight.

Please be aware you cannot smoke anywhere in the airport.