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Getting to Bonaire: Bonairexel/AA help
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2005-01-01 to 2005-05-01: Bonairexel/AA help
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim McFail (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, January 1, 2005 - 10:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have the MIA-CUR flight coming in at 2:52 can I expect to make the 16:00 BE flight out? 1:08 should be enough but I don't know about customs and collecting the bags...

Can I get AA to check bags through?

Are there any tips/tricks to save time to avoid missing the 16:00 flight? I'll be hauling a toddler so it slows me a little. :-)

Any help appreciated!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #5309) on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 12:16 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

It would be a very tight connection. We came in on that AA flight on Thursday, and had to deal with a 45 minute wait going through security in Curacao a couple of days ago. Plus, our AA flight was about 10 minutes late and it took about 20 minutes to get our luggage so we could check it in for our Cur-Bon flight (and no, you cannot check your luggage through - you have to pick it up and re-check it).

To avoid connection problems, we took the 5pm flight on Divi Divi, which we made with time to spare - their e-mail address is flydivi@interneeds.net - it may take them a day or two to get back to you at times. You can also call them at 011-599-9-888-1050.

I thought BonairExel used to have a 5pm flight too, but perhaps that was in a previous season...

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Voss (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 11:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I would think that having Bonairexel paper tickets in hand when you arrive in Curacao would also help. See the "Bonaire Exel Paper Tickets" thread on this board. I was able to get an agent at a Carlson Wagonlit travel agency to print the tickets for me; I'm told that Delta (and only Delta) ticketing agents can also print them. This will save the hassle of actually purchasing the Bonairexel tickets in Curacao. At least I'm hoping it speeds us along at the airport in Aruba at the end of January when we are making our connection to Bonaire . . .

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nat (BonaireTalker - Post #57) on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 11:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm wondering what the current routine is. I'm flying into Aruba on AA arriving 3:09 and want to make the 5:00 BonairExel flight to Bonaire. I've paid for the BonairExel ticket and have an email confirmation but not an actual ticket. I guess that means that I have to go out through immigration and customs, then check-in at the Bonairexel countrer, and then re-enter through security. Is my understanding correct? Will I have sufficient time to make the 5:00 flight? If I get a paper ticket through a travel agent in the U.S. can I avoid all that and just stay inside the airport departure area until the flight is called? Thanks for any help.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1988) on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 2:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This news item appears on the Amigoe website today (http://www.amigoe.com/english/cur_late_news.htm#New_name:_BonairExpress ):

New name: BonairExpress 

CURACAO/BONAIRE – Since this week, the business names of the airline company Dutch Eagle Express (DEE) are officially BonairExpress and CuraçaoExpress.   

The name change fits in the process of privatization of the company that was formerly affiliated to the Dutch Exel-aviation group. Recently DEE signed a new lease-agreement for eight years with aircraft constructor ATR for the three ATR-aircraft’s in the fleet.  Before that, DEE was leasing the aircraft’s from AirExel in the Netherlands.  This Exel-daughter is in such trouble that she had to cancel a great deal of her flights.  Due to the fact that the Airline Company established in Bonaire is completely independent, the lease agreement also includes the delivery of aircraft parts.  The lack of this was the cause of regular delays and cancellation of flights in the past months.  By now, the company is flying the Leeward routes and the route Curacao-St.Martin based on the normal schedules.  “BonairExpress and CuracaoExpress will do everything in their power to maintain and improve our on time performance as well as our service”, promised spokeswoman Sharon Bol. 

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Voss (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 10:30 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is how it worked for us at the Aruba airport three weeks ago:

You pass through Aruba immigration upon arrival. Due to the number of North American charters servicing the island, there was quite a crowd when we were there -- it took us half an hour to get through the line. Then you pick up your luggage and pass through customs. No line, they barely notice you.

The BonairExel, now BonairExpress, ticketing desk is in a kiosk outside of the terminal -- take a right as you exit the front of the building. Since you have already paid for your ticket, you may be able to omit this step (we had paper tickets). For those travelers who just have reservations and have not purchased their ticket, this step can take awhile; the ticketing agent in the kiosk was extraordinarily slow.

With an actual ticket (and your email confirmation of payment may be sufficient) you go to the BE check-in desk in the international departure building to pick up your boarding pass; the entrance is just beyond the kiosk. U.S. departures check in at the building on the other side of the terminal you exited upon arrival. I think they started checking in an hour before departure. After you get your boarding pass, you have to pass through Aruba customs and security to the gate area. (If returning to the U.S. on the way back, you also go through U.S. customs and immigration while you're in Aruba -- this adds time on the return flight).

So it's kind of a process. You should be able to do it in two hours -- assuming things move smoothly. Another issue -- our BE flight time departing Aruba, and our return flight from Bonaire changed. According to friends on the island, this happens all the time. If possible, confirm the departure time before you arrive on Aruba. And make sure that BE has a contact number for you on Bonaire so they can call you if the return flight time changes.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nat (BonaireTalker - Post #58) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 10:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Glen, thanks for the update. Andrew, thank you for the very helpful first hand details. Hopefully, my paid-for reservation will be honored, regardless of airline name change.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brigitte Kley - Coco Palm Garden (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #252) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 11:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

the paid for e-mail ticket is called an e-ticket and quite a number of airlines (at least in south america and Europe) work like this - including KLM and Air France

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nat (BonaireTalker - Post #59) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 2:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Brigitte, thanks, I've traveled often with e-tickets. I thought I understood from reading Andrew’s explanation, but now I realize I’m still unclear on Boston/Aruba/Bonaire details. This I know, arriving in Aruba I need to collect my luggage and get it rechecked for the Bonaire flight. This I don’t know, if I have the e-confirmation of a paid reservation for BonairExel/BonairExpress do I still need to go through immigration and customs, exit the terminal, report to the outside kiosk, and then return through security? Is the outside kiosk where I check the luggage? Andrew, do you mean that all passengers go through Aruba Immigration and Customs upon arrival in Aruba regardless of whether they are transfer passengers or are staying in Aruba? Or, with an e-confirmation of a paid reservation, is check-in (including luggage checking) accessible to transfer passengers without going through those steps? I would be asking these questions to an airline rep, but they don't seem to respond to e-mails, and since I may have a tight connection I’d prefer to figure this out before I arrive in Aruba. Thanks again.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Voss (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 7:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes -- all arriving passengers must go through immigration in Aruba (before you pick up your luggage) and customs (afterwards) and physically exit the airport. The outside kiosk (to the right outside the airport exit) is where you purchase your BE ticket, and since you have already paid for yours, I expect that you will be able to skip this step. Most travelers simply have an email reservation, so they have to purchase a paper ticket at the kiosk. If you have time, I would check with the ticket agent -- simply because I was not impressed with BE's reservations technology. If you don't need a paper ticket, go directly to the BE check-in desk which is back inside the terminal (but a separate entrance from where you exited, very close to the kiosk), check your luggage and receive your boarding pass. You must exit Aruba through customs (exit stamp in the passport, etc.) and back through security to the gate area to depart for Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nat (BonaireTalker - Post #60) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 8:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the clarification, Andrew. It certainly seems like an unnecessarily complicated process. Perhaps Aruba is trying to convince people it's easier to just stay on Aruba for their vacation. My past experience of getting to Bonaire via Air Jamaica Boston/MoBay/Bonaire seems pretty simple by comparison. One check-in, one change of planes, no exiting, luggage pick up, or customs/immigration until you get to Bonaire. Either way, Bonaire is worth it.
Nathalie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Abraham (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 10:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Andrew, Thanks so much for the INTEL on arrival at AUA and onto BON. Nothing like "air breathers" to provide the best INTEL. We arrive AUA via USAir tomorrow (Sunday) at 1600 and don't leave for BON until 2100. Knowing now that we need to leave the terminal anyway, we can probably check our luggage and then go into town for a bite to eat - and drink of course.

We were in AUA last January, but did not go to BON then. I did eye up one of the airlines there, because I have a potential customer in Caracus, VZ. Being in Charlotte, it of course makes the most sense to fly direct CLT to AUA and then to Caracas. Oh there might need to be a recoup in AUA prior to the second flight.

(picture now in the profile)

Thanks again.... abe and gail
Concord, NC

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kia (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 4:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Good Day,

I am traveling MIA/CUR r/t on AA, May 26,arriving at 200pm with a separate ticket purchased on Bonaire/Excell for CUR/AUA departing at 1600. I return from AUA/CUR on May 30, Bon Excell flight at 1200, to connect with flight AA at 300pm.

What would the departure tax be?
Can I request the transient tax?
What is there to do around the airport?
Can I even step outside of the airport with out incurring taxes?

Thanks for you help.

 


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