Just spoke with Sylvia at Canada 3000. Flights to Bonaire are expected to resume December,2001-March,2002. Likely the same as last year,direct, with a stop in Curaçao to pick-up or unload passengers. Prices also not expected to be too different from last year. Sylvia is very warm and charming and she and Can.3000 are pleased to welcome fellow Canadians and their "many American passengers and friends".No schedule yet. Sylvia's direct line is 416-916-3027. Can.3000 international toll-free is 1-888-263-3126 Ext.3027 If I can help, just drop me an 'e'. Kerri

Oops, forgot. Can.3000 will likely begin booking Bonaire in about 2 weeks. Book air only or package for 2 weeks. Bon Bini y'all.

So, Kerri, there is no excuse for you not travelling to Bonaire this winter and learning to dive!!! Welcome aboard!!!

Kerri, do you think there's any chance they'll take a four-week booking? Or, if they say they won't, do you know of anyone in "authority" I can call/write to to ask directly?

I just got back yesterday (four flights, up at 5:45 am, back home in Rochester at 9 pm --- I am STILL exhausted!!) Still, Bonaire's worth it!

Josie Hi, Had you in mind when I posted. Sylvia seemed to have some authority, and I specifically mentioned to her when she said 2 week max, that I knew you might want l month, and air fare, alone. I would certainly approach her with the request, it is after all, 2 wks +2 wks. I should hope something could be done. And I think all input would be welcome. She appreciated immediately the fact that we were all interested in going to Bonaire, and of course, that there were many repeat travellers. And she called up the Bonaire boards for a look, while I took the opportunity to suggest that some of us would travel as late as May,June. I suppose the numbers will make the decision, but I know there are also some lower fares that might be available if some numbers were to book/travel thru Can.3000. Or perhaps they could/would put something together for fare+ l night at an airport hotel in TO, for folks from a distance. But speak to Sylvia directly! And here's hoping we'll meet on some Bonairean beach, soon. Glen Yudambetcha! Lookin' to Xmas or maybe Feb. Also suggested that Can.3000 might like to have a look at the October dive show (as well as others, where they could see the Bonaire presence.)An unspoiled civilized diving and snorkelling island might be just what an airline is looking for. Should be mutually advantageous, Yah?

Josie,

Do look at the AA/AE flights from Rochester. Not as direct as C3000 but better than your last trip. If you are willing to drive all the way to TOR maybe AA/AE from Buffalo or Syracuse would be better even than ROC.

Glen, not to put too fine a point on it, but if you fly from TO, your purchase in Am.$ is considerably less than the price Stateside.Just look at a current currency converter and figure what the ticket would cost....For purposes of argument, say the fare alone is $599. One week with hotel between $899.-$1099. as example. Drive the couple of hours, you get a direct flight and save a couple of hundred$.

Depends on fare, certainly. AA/AE is an option to put in the decision equations that is better than Josie's recent trip. I didn't say it was best but it might be when C3000 isn't flying. :–)

Sorry,Glenn. Wasn't disputing that. Just thought you might have forgotten it in your previous calculations. Should have remembered how thorough you are.

Glen, actually, when I booked for August, I did look at ALL possible ways to get from Rochester for about 12 days, any time mid-August, and the AA/AE wasn't showing availability at under $900, from ROC or BUF or SYR. My fare on USAirways/ALM was $610, which was in my "preferred" price range. Canada3000 usually runs about $500 - 550 US, which with the hotel in Toronto totals less than $600 US each for two of us.

As long as you checked it out and made your choice. :-)