Antigua

[everynowandthen]

Firstly can I apologise massively if this is the wrong board to be posting on.
Am going to Antigua with BA in March. I remember that passport control can be a shocker there as everybody arrives at the same time. I was wondering which exits are used on the aircraft (777 - front + back, just front?), so I can book the right seats to get off sharpish. Can anybody help/advise please?
Thanks.

[CornishFlyer]

Doors 1 and 2 which are the front 2 (of the 4 total doors on each side on the 777) are used for disembarkation and boarding.

Which cabin will you be sitting in? Basically, the furthest toward the front of the cabin, the better. The rear 2 doors will not be used so the closer you get to the front, the better

[everynowandthen]

Thanks v much for your reply. Am in World Traveller & have booked seats in row 29, just behind the wing.

[towser]

Don't know when you were last there but passport control has improved greatly over the last few years. It's still not super fast but the area is now air conditioned so nothing like it was.

[Jarvy]

Was there last July but only on a 737 so not so many people. Passport control no problem but we had to wait ages for our bags!

[everynowandthen]

Was there a couple of years ago & the problem was that the Virgin & Ba flights arrive at exactly the same time so it was bedlam.

[jabird]

I remember that passport control can be a shocker there as everybody arrives at the same time.

My usual strategy is to do the exact opposite. I love to doodle, but you could just as easily sit and read a good book. Get a seat as far back as you can. Let everyone else rush off and join the stampede.

Essentially - wait until you are forced out, and you will join the tail end of the queue. Only problem with ANU is that BA want you off asap to continue on - I have used that route for SKB, iirc it alternated with GND. Border staff tend to get less officious back here too - they just want to get to the end of the queue (subjective observation).

I know this is completely counter-intuitive when you just want to get out and enjoy your holiday but there are reasons why the cheap seats are at the back! Many terminals have seats in the arrivals hall too - ANU has been moved around quite a bit since I was last in the terminal.

You'll also have to wait less for your bags - and if your hotel is putting a bus on anyway you will just join at the back.

SKB is much worse - iirc only 2 x 2 desk booths. I waited 90 mins to meet my brother once - he was behind a 757 but it was dropping a full load. This time round I'm doing CDG-SXM (avoiding £75 APD + minimal immigration) - and then to NEV in a twotter. Now that's one flight when you MUST sit at the front and there aren't any left-turners to get in your way as only one seat type :D

[everynowandthen]

Many thanks to all for the advice. A mate will be waiting for me on a (slightly knackered) yacht with a cold beer in the Jolly Harbour marina, so the sooner I get there the better. As for coming back, it's on a Wednesday so hopefully that will be easier.