Operating Hours

Our operating hours are from 8:30 A.M to 5:30 P.M local (UTC/GMT-5:00) daily; including public holidays. Reservations for flights may be facilitated outside these times; however, please note that Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority Regulations prohibit the flying of passengers at night.

Flight Requirements

Passengers are required to provide their actual Christian and Surnames as they appear in their Passport, birth paper/certificates and any accepted Government Issued Photo Identification that will be provided at check-in. There will also be the requirement to provide each person’s weight and that of their luggage to facilitate the compilation of the flight manifest. Each flight can accommodate a total passenger combined weight of 750lbs and a total baggage weight of 250lbs or any combination of these; the final determination will be made by the pilot prior to each flight.

Infants must be accompanied by an adult and must be supervised by that adult throughout the check-in, security screening, embarkation, flight, disembarkation and departure from the vicinity of the aircraft.

Bookings/Reservations

In order to confirm a flight booking/reservation, customers are required to make full payment and provide the requisite names & weights of all passengers, weights of their luggage and the contact details of the liaison/contact person.

Contact Details

Clients are required to provide their full contact details (email, mobile & other telephone numbers) to facilitate early advisory in the event of a flight cancellation due to weather, mechanical defects or other acts of God.

Rates/Prices & Payment Terms

Only estimated costs are provided during telephone conversations; the actual prices are ratified and provided via email from the Reservations Desk via islandhoppersreservations@gmail.com. All prices indicated via our reservations email are valid for thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the said email. All prices quoted are in United States Dollars and must be paid in full by the customer to confirm their booking.

Confirmation of Bookings

To confirm a booking customers are required to make payment in full for their flight no less than seven (7) days before the intended flight time.

An email acknowledging receipt of payment and confirmation of bookings will be provided by the Reservations Desk.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

All cancellations by customers must be done at least Seven (7) days before the scheduled time of travel to facilitate timely rescheduling and assure a full refund. Cancellations made between three (3) to six (6) days before a flight may be refunded up to fifty percent (50%) while cancellations less than three (3) days before a scheduled flight will NOT be refunded.

Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited Cancellation Policy is summarized as follows:

a. 7 days or more prior to flight: No Charge

b. 3 – 6 days prior to flight: 50% Charge

c. Less than 3 days prior to flight: NO REFUND

Any flights cancelled by Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited either due to weather, safety concerns or unforeseen mechanical issues will not incur a charge.

Departures from Jamaica – Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited is not responsible for missed connections due to flights being re-routed, delayed or cancelled due to weather or misinformation provided by clients. It is for this reason that flights scheduled to the airport should be timed so that alternate ground transportation can be used if necessary.

Arrivals to Jamaica – If your arriving flight is late and Island Hoppers is not able to conduct your flight, you will be duly advised and no helicopter charge will be incurred.

Flight cancellations due to inclement weather/ mechanical defects will carry no penalties from either side as safety remains paramount and sound decisions must be taken in the best interest of all parties concerned. Depending on the nature of the transfer, passengers may either opt to wait until the weather system has passed and accepting a delayed transfer or utilize an alternate ground transportation privately arranged by the client or their agent.

As such, it is critical that passengers provide the necessary contact information during bookings to facilitate the communication of such critical information in a timely manner.

Check-In Time

Clients are required to arrive at Island Hopper’s check in desk at the main terminal building at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the confirmed time for their flight booking to facilitate check-in and pre-flight briefing before boarding the aircraft. Failure to reach at this time may result in significant delays or NON-REFUNDABLE flight cancellations.

Block Times

Each booking has an associated block time to cover the pre-flight security checks, trip time and return of the aircraft for subsequent flights. Consequently, clients are required to be on-time (at least 15 minutes prior to flight time) for their departure otherwise their departure time may be rescheduled to a later time that day or cancelled altogether. There will be no refund for such cancellations.

Follow-up Confirmation

For reservations made in advance of two (02) months, clients are asked to either make a follow-up call or email at least seven (7) days prior to the intended date of their flight to re-confirm such bookings.

Safety Briefing

Below are the details of the safety briefing to be read and digested by all customers prior to and after booking a flight. All customers/passengers will then receive a subsequent safety briefing from a member of staff of Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited prior to boarding the helicopter or while on board. In either case, there will be a Safety Briefing Card/Reminder that passengers are to familiarize themselves with and clarify any doubts they may have with their Pilot.

Detailed Safety Briefing

The normal Passenger Safety Briefing shall consist of an oral briefing by the pilot or staff on expectations:

(a) prior to take­off (or prior to embarking when rotors are turning):

1. when, where, why and how carry­on baggage is required to be stowed;

2. the fastening, unfastening, tightening and general use of safety belts or safety harnesses;

3. the location of normal and emergency exits and how the exits operate;

4. the location, purpose of, and advisability of reading the safety features cards;

5. the requirement to obey crew instructions;

6. the location of any emergency equipment the passenger may have a need for in an emergency situation such as the E.L.T., fire extinguisher, survival equipment, first aid kit and life raft;

7. the location and use of life preservers, including how to remove them from stowage/packaging and a demonstration of their location, method of donning and inflation, and when to inflate life preservers;

8. location, operation and deployment of life rafts; and

9. any special instructions related to emergency evacuation if the helicopter is configured with external fixtures. (e.g. ski racks);

10. smoking policy – smoking is prohibited on all flights.

11. policy on portable electronic devices.

(b) after take­off, if not included in the pre-take-off briefing:

1. the advisability of using safety belts or safety harnesses during flight;

(c) in-flight because of turbulence:

1. when the use of seat belts is required; and

2. the requirement to stow carry-on baggage;

(d) prior to disembarking of passengers:

1. the safest direction and most hazard­-free route for passenger movement away from the helicopter, and any dangers associated with the helicopter, such as pitot tube locations, tail rotor and main rotor.

2. where no additional passengers have boarded the flight for subsequent take-offs on the same day, the pre take-off and post take-off briefing may be omitted provided a crew member has verified that all carry-on baggage is properly stowed, and safety belts or harnesses are properly fastened.

Special/Complementary Safety Briefing

The individual safety briefing shall include:

1. any information contained in the standard safety briefing and the safety features card that the passenger would not be able to receive during the normal conduct of that safety briefing; and

2. additional information applicable to the needs of that person as follows:

i. the most appropriate brace position for that passenger in consideration of his or her condition, injury, stature, and/or seat orientation and pitch; and,

ii. the location to place any service animal that accompanies the passenger.

Indemnity

Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited, its partners, associates and affiliates having taken all reasonable steps to prevent accidents/incidents will remain indemnified from all liabilities of injury or losses sustained as a result of accidents/incidents resulting from the negligence of customers/passengers, natural causes or any acts of God.

Passenger/Customer Agreement

Each customer agrees to carefully digest the contents of the Safety Brief and adhere to all parts thereof for the duration of the service provided by Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited. Also, prior to making payment for their flight, customers and their agents are required to carefully read the company policy and terms and conditions of service. Payment for their flight to confirm their booking is a legally binding indication of their agreement to the Island Hoppers Policy, Terms and Conditions governing the service provided by Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited. All customers/passengers will be required to indicate their agreement to the terms and conditions when completing the Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Limited Reservation Form which is a legally binding document.