BonaireTalk Discussion Group
Getting to Bonaire: AA American Eagle does it again
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2004-02-01 to 2004-08-15: AA American Eagle does it again
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tony Paugoulatos (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #144) on Monday, August 2, 2004 - 3:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I just found out that American Eagle has again changed the days it flies to and from Bonaire and San Juan..This will probably have an effect on anyone with reservations in early 2005 so it wouldn't hurt to check if you do. New schedule will be SJU to BON on Tues., Fri., and Sat. Bon to SJU on Wed., Sat., and Sun. Hope this helps..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #574) on Monday, August 2, 2004 - 5:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

yep! just found out today also...been on the phone with AA to get my refund from the original change...after their last change, I rebooked my trip thru Aruba on USAir and had not requested the refund on the AA ticket...as soon as I heard about the change today, I contacted AA to get my refund...their initial claim was that the flight that was cancelled is now going to fly on the scheduled date and therefore they should not have to refund my $$. It cost me about $400 to resolve the first cancellation by re-booking on USA. I wasn't about to take it on the chin again. After some debate, they agreed to a refund.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gail Elliott (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, August 2, 2004 - 5:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the heads up Tony. I called to confirm my husbands and my flight for Sept 16th (first trip to Bonaire!) and poof...flight is gone. We're now rescheduled to fly in on Friday the 17th -which is the flight we were originally on before American Eagle changed the flight dates the last time! Our flight back happens to be on a Sunday, so no problem there. The rep confirmed the flight days the same as Tony listed -also said that the change goes into effect Sept 10th. BTW - I love this sight, extremely helpful! I've been lurking for a couple of months now and am really looking forward to being on the island. Gail

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Matheson (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Monday, August 2, 2004 - 5:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

These guys (American Eagle)are amazing. They have screwed up my entire group for the second time. They make the Bonaire police look organized. It's our group's first trip to Bonaire but with these flight fiascos it will prob. be our last. (If we ever get there)

Tony, thank you, thank you, thank you, for taking the time to let us know they did this again. Of course they don't contact us. If it wasn't for BonaireTalk we would have never known and prob. ended up sitting in San Juan for four days hoping for a flight south. (knock on wood, that's prob. the routing we will end up with anyway. If so many of us were not using FF miles I'd cancel and swim from Aruba. At least we would get some diving in that way!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1813) on Monday, August 2, 2004 - 5:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

It would be interesting to know what caused all this changing to and fro. The changes cost AE $ both in customer money lost and in internal costs so they wouldn't do it just to screw up their public and it certainly is a damned nuisance to their staff.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By gregg brewer (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #575) on Monday, August 2, 2004 - 8:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

John,

Even if you are on FF miles, talk to AA and see if they will give you FF seats to Aruba or Cur ...may cost you a few extra $$ (70 each way from Aruba) AA flies to Cur and Aruba out of MIA

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #4998) on Tuesday, August 3, 2004 - 1:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

The official word from TCB is:

"The new American Eagle Schedule has been loaded into Sabre. SJU-BON will operate on Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday. The reciprocal flight(BON-SJU) will operate on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, effective September 8, 2004."

I guess I need to go change our Christmas tickets too (opposite direction from the rest of you of course but both coming and going). Argh!!!!

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Perkins (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Tuesday, August 3, 2004 - 1:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the update. I just changed my flights for my January trip. Did the same thing back in March for my trip coming up at the end of August. It helps to know in advance--especially when I'm using FF miles!
Bill

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Tuesday, August 3, 2004 - 2:45 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the thread -- my only notification of the issue (so far) was this thread! I called AA and my SJU-->BON and BON-->SJU legs went poof but left everything else intact. (The downloaded AA timetable came in handy during the conversation as well).

They were very helpful in unravelling the mess -- I was able to slide my trip by one day. And I really can't complain as the ticket from Seattle was only $245 + 15k miles to begin with...

I still have to do hotel and car changes but the advance notice helps!

BTW, it looks like the weekday BON--> SJU leg is WEDS not TUES

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #764) on Tuesday, August 3, 2004 - 7:03 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I also would like to know the reason behind the changes in flight dates.

We have changed our tickets and lodging once already and are skeptical about doing it again.

Just e-mailed my dive buddy who is on vacation in N. Carolina, informing him of the newest change. At this point I am considering over-nighting in Boston and flying A.J. to avoid any more changes.

Glen is correct regarding customer money lost. I have stopped taking groups to Bonaire because of hassles arranging transportation from BTV.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #942) on Wednesday, August 4, 2004 - 8:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

THANK YOU, TONY, for the leg-up on this change. I just got off the phone after an hour with AA in England (where I'm visiting my very sick dad), and was able to reschedule next February's flights for both Alan and me.

Alternatives were very tight, but the lovely man on the other end was very patient, and we only had to change a little. Actually, one thing did work out much better. We're travelling on FF awards, and we initially couldn't travel out together because of availability, but the need to reschedule meant we can now travel together.

What a wonderful resource and blessing this board is --- again!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #777) on Wednesday, August 4, 2004 - 9:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie, We are all thinking of you.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By robin seltzer (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Thursday, August 5, 2004 - 11:48 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes....we are all in the same boat with AA. I have just made my third schedule change for January 2005. They are so ignorant about it too....they just keep reciting "aa reserves the right to make schedule changes....we are not required to notify you until 30 days before the departure date". So nice of them...I'm sure they realize people have hotel reservations and vacation requests with work...and they just don't care.
We are 4 traveling on ff tickets and have considered changing our flight to aruba or curacao, but we would have to go phl to mia to aruba or curacao and then would have to catch an inter-island flight with be or dcb and are worried that with all of the connections in January that we will miss one because of weather.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #784) on Thursday, August 5, 2004 - 7:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yup, this stinks. My travel companion is out of town and unreachable. Meanwhile seats that were available are disappearing fast. Do not know if he can keep changing his vacation dates. GRRRRR!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #786) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 6:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Is a one hour and 4 minute layover in MBJ enough time to make the connect to Bonaire? I am able to find seats (this morning) on Air Jamaica out of BOS on the 10th returning on the 27th.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1480) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 6:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

yes Tom...JM will often wait for late flights prior to departing to Bonaire..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #793) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 8:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Ann.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susanf (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #827) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 10:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

On a number of our flights, the plane that went on to Bonaire from MB was the plane we arrived on coming into MB from Boston, so if that's still the case, no worries. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #795) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 10:23 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan, I can only hope. I am still waiting to hear from my buddy regarding changing dates yet again.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11867) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 11:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well after all this discussion, and a chat with Jake last night...I'm scratching my plans to go through San Juan to Bonaire (not sure if I could do it "emotionally" anyway)...Michael agrees...LOL! I am now looking at going through Miami, then to Curacao, and Divi Divi to Bon...geezz..you all think it's tough getting there from the right coast...try from the Left (in less than 24 hours)...argh!!!

Tom, hope you hear from Smack soon! Oh, and I think you also need to start planning your March vacation to Bon now...the week of March 11 - 21 :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #796) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 1:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, You are so thoughtful:-{)} If you convince the Boss, I am there in March. Would be nice

Be well

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #798) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 7:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Smack just got back, we are going to try to get a refund on our US Air & AE tickets and book AJ out of BOS 10-24 Oct.

Keeping fingers crossed.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John"Smack"Anderson (BonaireTalker - Post #34) on Friday, August 6, 2004 - 10:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm on it, Bubba! We'll get there, somehow. Everyone wish us luck! Seems like that's what we need right now.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #805) on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 12:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Smack got our tickets refunded (nice to have connections) and we just finished sitting down at this p.c. and booked r/t A.J., Bos-Bon Oct 10 to 24. He got a seat in the head and I am co-pilot. Or maybe it is the other way around and I need to bring a seat cushion. Does not matter.

Another good bit of news had to do with lodging. Yesterday I informed the place Smack and I are staying in Bonaire that our flights were again messed up by A.E. and we were trying to get new flights on different dates and if they had a chance to rent our room before we could get new tickets we understood.

This morning I received a reply that said in part

"Your room is yours, stays yours and nobody elses. Make sure you get that refund and get
your DELETED on AJ ! Allways a spot for a dive friend!"

Half of the reason (at least) I/we go to Bonaire are the people/friends we have there.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike W (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 3:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the heads up, BT saved me again. After 6 mind numbing hours on the phone with Expedia last time, I was able to change my vacation back to the original dates in just under an hour. I hope that it will not change again.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1825) on Sunday, August 8, 2004 - 7:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The following paragraph is in the 8 August 'Bonaire Entré Nous:

'AIRLIFT NEGOTIATIONS CONCLUDED WITH AMERICAN EAGLE

Contract Negotiations with American Eagle -

-Working with a team headed by Commissioner of Tourism Burney el Hage, and including Jack Chalk and Frits Hannenberg, Candice Kimmel coordinated the negotiations with American Eagle Vice President Pedro Fabregas to reach the agreement by which American Eagle will continue to serve Bonaire with three rotations a week. Southbound service from the United States via San Juan (SJU-BON) will be on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday, with the reciprocal flights (BON-SJU) on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.'

Will someone on-island who understands all this please explain it to us?? Was the recent schedule manipulation somehow related to this? How long are we set for??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1913) on Monday, August 9, 2004 - 2:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Can't explain why they keep changing the schedule and messing us all up - got hit coming and going on my xmas reservations.

The only thing I can clarify is that a serious rumor emerged a couple months ago that AE was contemplating pulling out of Bonaire completely if the flights were not subsidized by the Bonaire government on a per person basis. AA takes a much larger portion of your plane ticket than AE because the split is based on miles per flight and not actual costs. What deal was struck I don't know but I'm glad AE is still with us.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1826) on Monday, August 9, 2004 - 3:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

TKS, L.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wally and Eva (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #422) on Monday, August 9, 2004 - 8:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We just did the JAX-MIA-CUR on AA/AE and Divi to BON and it worked great, same money and we were on BON quicker then our usual JAX-MIA-SJU-BON route on AA/AE

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1828) on Monday, August 9, 2004 - 9:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wally,

What part of your route was AE?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Daniel Senie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #322) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'd guess JAX-MIA. the MIA-CUR is AA.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wally and Eva (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #424) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

That's right....only problem was the MIA to JAX on the way home was a little late....which if there has to be a foul up then the last leg of the last day is the time to do it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1833) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

TKS.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #76) on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 2:22 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, Tony. I need to check this topic more often. Lost some of our aisle seats.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #944) on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 4:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, I'll be there when you are --- hope to have a chance to meet you.
Josie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin de Weger (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3483) on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 4:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie, maybe we'll meet as well, I might be there in that period...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leslie McIntyre and James Astley (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 9:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

We flew American Airlines/American Eagle to Bonaire on August 15, returning a week later. Our route was Toronto to Miami, changing planes for Miami to Puerto Rico, changing again for Puerto Rico to Bonaire. When we reached Miami, we were told that American Airlines had taken the Miami-Puerto Rico plane for another route, and we would have to wait til a new one arrived from Quito, Ecuador. That meant a two-hour delay, which meant when we finally arrived in Puerto Rico, we had missed our Bonaire connection. Although they put us up in acceptable accommodations in San Juan, and we had a pleasant day wandering through Old San Juan before the next flight to Bonaire Monday night, it was a little disconcerting to see this happen. Waiting to board the plane to Bonaire, we heard several announcements about American Eagle flights to the surrounding islands being delayed, being cancelled, not having arrived yet. It seems that this happens frequently. I don't think we will fly American Airlines/American Eagle again if there is an alternative route we can book.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #5046) on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 7:21 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Adding insult to injury, we just got the following in as AA frequent flyers:

Thank you for your business. To help us continue to offer high value and effectively compete in a fiercely competitive marketplace, American Airlines and American Eagle(R) will implement a $5 service fee for those tickets purchased via our U.S. reservations centers and a $10 fee for tickets purchased at U.S. airport locations. There is no booking fee for self-booking and ticketing on AA.com(R).

Effective Monday, September 6, 2004, the non-refundable fee will apply per ticket, whether it is one-way or roundtrip, and also will apply to tickets redeemed as AAdvantage(R) program awards.

These steps are necessary to ensure that we can compete effectively in a marketplace where charging fees for personalized, value-added services is becoming a common practice. Low-cost carriers often charge a fee on tickets issued with the help of their reservations center or airport staff.

We appreciate your business and your continuing loyalty to American Airlines.

Sincerely,

Dan Garton
Executive Vice President - Marketing
Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #12070) on Friday, September 3, 2004 - 1:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jake, I got that as well. Northwest Airlines implemented the same policy a week or two ago, so I think it's something that all the airlines will be jumping on the bandwagon with...sigh....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #133) on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 5:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

i'm glad to see all these posts here. we are in the process of getting our tickets for our winter trip (see you in february, jake). it's hard to book one flight in february and another in april when AA changes the days of the flights. this should help a lot...and maybe save a little money too.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #946) on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 7:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You know, I really don't mind paying for service, and I'd much prefer to book online with American --- but their website often doesn't show the flights I need for Bonaire (even the ones that I'm actually on and that show up on Sidestep!), so it's hard to book with them online. The ONLY way I've found to book with American is to call them and much of the time I've had to tell them what to look for, then they can help me!! This being the case, I do resent actually having to pay an additional service charge.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By SCOTT SILLENCE (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Thursday, September 9, 2004 - 3:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well I hope I don't speak to soon. But, my travel Agency noticed the change in flight scheduled days with American Eagle and had to reissue my entire itinerary to accommodate the day changes from San Juan to Bonair and back. I got upset at this change but I'd rather get upset at my computer at home than to have to sit in a Airport overnight. At this time, 3 cheers to my travel agent, her name is Hedi at Maduro Dive 1-800-327-6709. I believe she is out of the Miami Office and handles everything to my car rental, reservations at Capt Don's Habitat, and flights.
Hedi put it all in one simple package. Now lets see what the airlines can screw up. Scott

 


Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites


Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration