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Getting to Bonaire: AA question
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2005-06-01 to 2005-08-10: AA question
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joanie (BonaireTalker - Post #24) on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 2:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Contemplating using AA for our Nov trip this year. Can anyone who's gone that route tell me, the routine. Can you check you luggage through to bonaire, and to destination on the return.
Hope you don't have to claim luggage in PR and recheck. Any info is appreciated. Thanks

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1079) on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 3:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I've used AA for six years now, with no real problems. However, you DO have to pick up your baggage and go through customs in PR -- this is where you re-enter the US. It's pretty simple. You get your baggage, walk through customs as you'd do anywhere, then go around the corner and give them your baggage back.

AA is the only way we can get to Bonaire (currently) in one day without an overnight in both directions, so we just do what we have to do. Twice, not all the baggage arrived when we did on Bonaire, but came within a day or so. We always take essentials in carry-on bags.

Josie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2827) on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 4:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie is right, but just a point of clarification -- you do not have to reclaim your bags in San Juan on the trip TO Bonaire, only on the return flight. This is a huge thing for me, as the hassle of doing it twice is a pain for me personally.

PS. Josie, how are the kitties? Any recent pics?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By C Poteet (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #292) on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 7:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joanie -

You are getting good information from Josie and Kelly.

We've used AA DFW-SJU-BON several times and always been satisfied with the service.

I would add a couple of fine-tuning points, if I may.

American Eagle flights in SJU - All AE flights out of SJU have a common waiting area and it can get a bit hectic because there are planes going all over the Caribbean. Listen carefully for your BON flight. Once you hear it, you'll hand your ticket to an agent, go through a doorway and line up for a mini-bus to take you to the airplane. Be sure to confirm with the bus driver that you are on the Bonaire bus. Every time we have been through SJU, someone on the bus thought the bus was for another destination than Bonaire.

Carry-ons that will fit in the overheads of the the larger jets from the States may not fit in the overheads of the ATRs AE uses between SJU-BON. It is not a big deal, unless you need something in the carry-ons in-flight. You do not check the carry-ons in SJU that you brought from the States, rather you take them with you on the mini-bus to the AE airplane. At that point you hand over the too-large carry-ons to the crew, you watch them being loaded in the nose of the airplane and you're done. Upon arrival, all the carry-ons are placed on the tarmac by the crew, you get yours and proceed to Immigration y Customs.

Checking baggage - Yes, you can and should check your baggage all the way through to your final destination. Be sure to verify with your own examination of the baggage tags that your baggage is checked all the way through to your final destination. Once in Bonaire the AE counter agent tagged our bags to SJU instead of DFW. While not a disaster, it would have been an inconvenience.

Immigration y Customs in SJU - Coming home, it is a very long walk to Immigration y Customs upon arrival in SJU from BON . The good news it is inside and air conditioned and the better news is that your flight gets in so early there is rarely a crowd to be processed. We've never had any hitch or difficulty being processed in SJU.

Hope these little details help make an easier trip with fewer surprises.

Charles Poteet
Dallas

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13870) on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 8:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Charles, good points as well. The departure waiting area in SJ to Bon can get a little noisy and confusing, with flights called, delayed, and cancelled!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chet Wood (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #586) on Thursday, July 7, 2005 - 7:19 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

We've also been through SJU several times; and yes, it is a VERY long hike to immigration! I've always wondered, since you need to ride the bus from the plane to the door(a very SHORT ride, since the planes park close-by), why don't the busses go to a door someplace a lot closer to immigration?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joanie (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Thursday, July 7, 2005 - 12:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank you all, this is exactly the information I was looking for.
Half the battle is knowing what to look for.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wijkhof-Wimberly (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #854) on Thursday, July 7, 2005 - 1:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I've never gone thru Customs and Immigration without a long walk up, down, all around, and then a wait for the luggage. I think the purpose is to tire you out so you will be unable to fib to the Customs agents about what you are bringing back into the states.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stacy Albarran (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 8:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wow, I wonder if all this is worth the Bonaire experience?? We are planning our first trip to Bonaire in Nov. Have a place to stay (Divi) but no air tickets yet. Need flight from SC. AND will be traveling with an 11 month old. Any advice?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeanine Clark (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #180) on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 9:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Greetings Stacy! Yes!!!! No matter how horrible your flight, it will be worth it once you get to Bonaire. Don't let this chat scare you off from an incredible experience. Flight issues are just part and parcel, especially going south of the border. I got delayed 12 hours one time flying to Costa Rica and 9 hrs of it was spent sitting on the plane (we couldn't clear customs so we had to stay on the plane). I have never heard stories as bad as that going to Bonaire and I now laugh at my experience going to Costa Rica. Going to the Dominican Republic, we were delayed 5 hours and they sent our luggage a different route and it made it to the DR 3 hours before we did. Flying south is always an "adventure."

My first trip to Bonaire we were slightly delayed in Montego Bay, which just sent all of us to Margaritaville to have some cocktails. Just be relaxed and roll with whatever happens and you will have a great time in Bonaire.

Cheers!

 


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