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Getting to Bonaire: American eagle
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2002-10-28 to 2003-04-30: American eagle
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Russ Coash (BonaireTalker - Post #54) on Sunday, February 2, 2003 - 3:44 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

american eagle: i have heard bad stories about people and their getting flights back home - has anyone had a bad experience??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michel jarry (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Sunday, February 2, 2003 - 9:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I used the San Juan-Bonaire flight two weeks ago, and the only problem I had was my fault: my flight was leaving from gate 1B at San Juan airport, but I read 18 and missed my connection. However, they put me on the next day flight, and everything went well.

Flights were on time, but two caveats.

First, with all the security measures you must be at the Bonaire airport at 5:30 the latest for the 7:00 return flight. Quite a performance after one or two weeks of dolce vita!

Second, you must pick your luggage and clear customs and immigration at San Juan. The whole process takes about one hour, so make sure that your next connection is not too tight.

Michel

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob neer (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #659) on Sunday, February 2, 2003 - 9:16 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

i've done AA/AE three times in the last 18 months without any real problems...some stateside re-routing - came back thru dallas once instead of chicago - luggage has always made it...

mostly, the 4-5 hour layover in san juan going home sucks (IMNSHO)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #959) on Sunday, February 2, 2003 - 10:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I've done AA 4 times and never a prob. The terminal for Caribbean flights is stuffy and crowded but a people show for sure. It's funny but most flights to the islands are overbooked and they come on the PA and offer vouchers to give up your seat. No one ever offers right away as the price usually goes up in time. LOL..since there is no other flight to BON I would NEVER give up my seat.

To me, every airline has issues..and AA is no worse or no better. The good thing is in BOS you can literally check in one hour before (I know this is NOT recommended) as the 12:10 PM departure to SJU is never crowded. I have arrived around 10 each time (even post 9/11 in Oct.) and got thru in less than 15 minutes. Not true with JM.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Taft (BonaireTalker - Post #94) on Sunday, February 2, 2003 - 9:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We have used American Eagle from San Juan to Bonaire and other islands without any issues (oops --- hope I did not just jinx us for our flight in three weeks). We have found ways to occupy ourselves in San Juan during long layovers and just consider that part of the trip. One thing we learned last year on leaving Bonaire -- arrive early, check in, leave and get a shower and breakfast at your accomodation and then return for the flight. And as my friend Annie said --- the waiting area in SJ is great for people watching -- try to figure out what island people are going to, if they are the resort type, are they divers, etc -- endless possibilities. Airline travel can be what you make of it these days!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #156) on Sunday, February 2, 2003 - 9:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Anytime I HAVE to spend in warmer climates is alright by me.

I am not usually in much of a hurry to get back to the cold.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Monday, February 3, 2003 - 11:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

If you have a few (3+) hours in San Juan, go out to the gov't taxi stand (it's obvious, and they control the rates), and tell them you want to go to the Wyndham Hotel (formerly known as The El San Juan). It's about a 5-10 min ride, and $8. It's a big resort, with casino, shops, restaurants, pool bar, beach, etc. Much nicer than the SJU airport. We do it on the way home, so check thru all our luggage so as not to have to drag it around.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By PW Claus (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 - 3:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We just came back from Bonaire 2/1/03 (sob!). On the flight down the week prior, from SJ to BON, our two kayaking guides, who had arranged the entire trip, were bumped from the flight, ostensibly because they had e-tickets and they "couldn't be confirmed". They, and about 14 others, were practically shoved onto the next flight for Curacao, which was leaving immediately. They ended up spending the night there and getting a puddle jumper on Divi-Divi the next day.

Meanwhile, on the regularly scheduled flight to BON, we were told that the flight would take 3 hours, instead of the usual 1 1/2, because "a country which had air traffic control over the major portion of our flight" was making the planes go over the easternmost Caribbean islands in a wide arc instead of taking the straight, as-the-crow-flies route down to BON from SJ. We inferred that this must be due to the strike in Venezuela and let it go at that.

The next day,1/26/03, we found out that the country was actually the US and the problem was that they were concerned about security in the Vieques bombing area. This was the reason the flight had to be circuitous around all the islands and why the planes had to take on extra fuel, thereby forcing the airline to bump passengers in order to conform to weight restrictions with all that extra fuel on board.

So why not just level with the passengers in the first place?? And, to top it off, we ended up taking the straight route down anyway, getting to BON in 1 1/2 hours!! Apparently the planes needed so much fuel they just couldn't make the longer route... but we did get there, and had a fantastic time, and going home there were no problems at all!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1330) on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 - 4:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

PW

Sometime back around your downbound flight date, a navigational device went out on Bonaire or Curacao that caused some flights to be diverted as yours was. You might want to check into that as the true cause. There was a thread here on that.

Vieques is SE of SJ and easily bypassed to its west so I wonder who told you that it was US worried about Vieques rather than about overwater flight direct to Curacao without a homing point.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ira Warren (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 5:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Is there anywhere to get a reasonable meal in the Caribbean terminal in SJU? The AA flight down from DFW serves breakfast (yum) and the BON flight gets in late as you know. Is any restaurant still open in BON by the time you clear customs and get your luggage (9:30?), or is the SJU terminal meal lunch and dinner?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob neer (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #678) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 9:14 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

might try asking the folks where you are staying to have a pizza and a six pack waiting for you on bonaire:-)

good luck!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #3840) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 9:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Some restaurants may still be open on Bonaire then. Also KFC is open late here.

At SJU, go out of security and head towards the Continental ticket counter - you'll pass a McDonalds and a Taco fast food restaurant. Not great, but still better than anything inside the American departure area...

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Corney Ann Carter (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #140) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 9:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

There a couple of fast food places before the Caribbean terminal in SJU. There was one place that had a chicken sandwich. If you are there a long time you can go into the main terminal to the food court there. We carry protein bars with us also and usually some fruit in our pockets.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Taft (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #101) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 2:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

How long is your layover in SJU? Our flight arrives there around 11am so we leave the airport for the day as I have yet to find good food there. We get a cab to one of the hotels in Isla Verde (8 dollars and 8 minutes) and then find a beach bar. That way we can have better food and start our time in the sun.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ira Warren (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 3:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Our layover is about 2 1/2 hours going down (and almost 4 hours on the return). That really isn't enough time to run out to a hotel, not to mention we'll each have a roller bag and a purse or laptop case carry-on that I really don't want to schlep around. (Even though we snorkel rather than dive, we still have our masks, still and digital camera and cases, laptop for downloading digital stills, and minimal clothes that I would be very leery of checking in.) PS, thanks all for your ideas.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #678) on Friday, February 7, 2003 - 9:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I can think of two late places to eat good food at. We are at 10:30 pm the night we arrived at Taverne Uno Munde and it was delicious and the atmosphere was great. It is right on the waterfront. The other place that stays open to about 11 is Pasa Bon Pizza. They have great pizza and a bar.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #977) on Saturday, February 8, 2003 - 10:02 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Taverne Uno Munde has a great bartender. Martin makes THE best fresh lime Margaritas. I have not eaten there but his Indonesian food looks GREAT. And the VIEW!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #749) on Saturday, February 8, 2003 - 5:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I second the recommendation of Pasa Bon Pizza -- that's where we stopped when we arrived, and thoroughly enjoyed our wahoo pizza.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ira Warren (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Saturday, February 8, 2003 - 9:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie, we had to laugh at this last response. When we were in Bonaire 2 years ago (our only time, but we're fixing that very soon!), we ate at Dock of the Bay most evenings since we stayed at Buddy's. After the 3rd time, we stopped asking what the Catch of the Day was since it was always wahoo. So to see wahoo pizza ... well, what can I say. Anyway, since we're on the Atkins diet (very successfully), pizza and anything else hi carb is out, but we now realize there are many restaurants open to 11 or later on a Friday (Pirate's Steak House, Zeezicht, Beefeater, De Tuin, Late Night Grill, even KFC and perhaps others) -- rather impressive. We liked Zeezicht when we ate there, and I saw positive reviews of De Tuin plus now Taverne Uno Munde.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #979) on Sunday, February 9, 2003 - 8:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ira, I too got a tad sick of wahoo..I have had Rainbow Runner, tuna and snapper on occassion. Why is that? Is there a season for all fish and I happen to hit wahoo season a lot??

I am on day 12 of induction..wow, this "eating plan" is rough. I have not cheated aside from having 0 carb jello every few nights. Oh and I went to a Valentines Tea and passed up on trays of goodies but did have 2 2" square whole wheat cuke and cream cheese sandwiches..so prob 5 carbs total..otherwise NOTHING off the diet. Uhhh..I am not a happy camper..this one is BRUTAL. How are you doing on it?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ira Warren (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Sunday, February 9, 2003 - 1:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My wife have been on it for 6 1/2 months now. So far I've lost 70 lbs. and my wife has lost 40-some odd, so we're very happy with the diet. We've had regular blood tests just to be sure that the fairly extreme regime has not hurt us, and all of our indicators are better than they were! Personally I've found this the easiest diet ever since there are so many things I can eat that I like. Also my portion sizes are way down and I'm comfortable with it. I just don't think about the things I'm missing. And it seems we can always find something to eat when we go out. We've switched from sushi to sashimi at our favorite Japanese restaurant to eliminate the rice, which has worked great. It gets easier after induction, by the way, since choices are not so defined. If there is a low carb store in your area, make use of it. We've found lots of alternatives (like low carb bread) that are quite good.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeffrey Rein (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, February 9, 2003 - 6:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Can dive knives be brought on the American Eagle flights in checked bags? I remember reading a while back that they wouldn't let you because passengers have access to the cargo area on those planes. Has anyone traveled with knives on those flights recently? Leaving next week and starting to get gear together.
Thanks
Jeff

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joann Vick (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #24) on Sunday, February 9, 2003 - 11:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jeff, I packed my dive knife in my check-in bag and had no trouble with American Eagle, nor AA for that matter, when I went to Bonaire in December. I also put all other "sharps", e.g. scissors, in my check-in. (I flew AE to Dallas and from San Juan to Bonaire.)

Joann

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeffrey Rein (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 11:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

thanks for info

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob neer (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #779) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:23 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

AA/AE is still around $600 for june departures from chicago and new york...what day is that wedding?

;)

 


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