By Eric Elia (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 5:16 pm: |
Wondering what the minimum time you'd recommend would be for the connection in San Juan. From some of the horror stories I see here, sounds like 1 hr. would be very risky. I see the same fares with a 3-hr layover, which might be a safe choice.
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #373) on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 7:15 pm: |
i guess it depends where you are flying from and the likelihood that your original flight won't be delayed by weather. our layover in sju is usually in the 2-3 hour range going to bonaire and slightly shorter coming home. we use the time to hit the duty free stores and relax...and a year ago we happened to run into one of our neighbors who was flying to st. kitts so we got to visit a little and it made the time go faster.
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By Susan Taft (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #547) on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 8:40 pm: |
Are you talking about on the way to Bonaire or on the way home? Are you changing airlines or flying the same airline all the way? If you are on your way home from Bonaire then one hour is risky because you will need to clear customs and immigration. If you are flying on two different airlines (ie:USAir to SJU and then getting AE to Bonaire) you may need to claim your bags and check in for the second flight, again making an hour a tight connection. Also, if you are on your way to Bonaire and miss the AE flight you risk being stuck in SJU for awhile as there are not flights every day to Bonaire. Guess I would want a little bit longer especially on the way to Bonaire to insure I got on the AE flight.
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #375) on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 10:41 pm: |
i agree susan. i guess it can be done with a one hour layover time going down but i'd rather be a little safe on the time and hope for at least a 2 hour layover going both ways.
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By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #495) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 7:07 am: |
5{ouse sitters and guests who have taken AA and AE have missed their connections in San Juan and arrived one or more days late.
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #377) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 11:28 am: |
you're right tish...and american eagle has been known to bump people from the return flight at flamingo airport so you need to arrive there early on your departure day. my wife drove our neighbor to the airport last winter and she was the last one to get on the flight home. and even then she had to wait till about 45 minutes before departure to know she was going to fly so mary had to wait there with her to see if she was going to be driving her back to her house. i think the reason she wasn't bumped was that she was the first one in line after the "accepted" passengers were ticketed.
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By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15316) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 12:11 pm: |
I've never seen lines particularly long because of cruise ships? Is PR a port of destination for them? I've seen them in port, but it is just a day stop for them (and OLD SJ is CROWDED)...scratching my head here...of all the times I've flown through SJ (7 now, not all Bonaire destinations) I've never noticed this. Customs going back in to the airport if you have left for the day can sometimes be long (and regardless of length are most often slow, they believe they are on island time...LOL)
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By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3449) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 1:25 pm: |
What is meant by "checking in" at AE in San Juan? I have never had to check in. I just go to the gate and line up when they tell me to.
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By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15318) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 1:59 pm: |
Kelly, I'm with you. I always get my boarding pass when I leave my initial destination, and then get in line when they announce the boarding of the flight. I know that some folks have reported that they weren't issued a boarding pass at their departure city (I think cause AA/AE over booked), and had to get it in SJ (and some were consequently denied boarding), but I think that is a less common occurance...
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By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15319) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 2:01 pm: |
Well, ya learn something new every day! I just googled SJ cruises, and indeed, there are a sparce few that leave SJ as their port of call! I'm not sure how that would affect a plane change in PR though...those folks would either be arriving in SJ, and leaving the airport for the boat, or coming back into the airport after getting off the boat...
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #380) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 3:57 pm: |
i know there are a few cruise ships that sail out of san juan. when we were on bonaire last month we talked to someone who was flying out the next day to board a ship at san juan and was going on a one week cruise. but it's still not the huge port for cruise ships that miami is. i'll take going thru customs in san juan over miami any day of the week.
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By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3456) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 4:30 pm: |
Amen, Pat !! I still don't get how the cruise ships would affect the lines at the airport, though???
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By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #497) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 6:09 pm: |
People coming off cruise ships and flying back home clog the lines going through security, which can cause people to miss their connections in San Juan.
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #389) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 7:51 pm: |
i guess they still have to get thru customs in san juan....and then catch their planes home. the only time we ever had a close call there was two years ago when we flew home the day after the big blackout in the states. we were rerouted (but not reticketed) to go from san juan to chicago instead of to jfk. we were late leaving bonaire and by the time we got thru customs in san juan we only had about 25 minutes to get reticketed and get to the plane. fortunately, someone from AA was able to help us by opening another computer station and giving us new tickets in a few minutes.
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By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15331) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 8:21 pm: |
I guess I've always been lucky and not have been going back through security after the cruise ships have docked and send folks home!
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By Susan Taft (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #549) on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 10:52 pm: |
Cynde, the cruise ship folks are the ones who are waiting in those long lines at the AA counter near the baggage check that you and I love. Since SJ is their departure city they all need to wait there while those of us who have our AA boarding passes all the way through are just heading to Isla Verde for hamburgers and some sun and maybe a massage!! As an aside we should all remember that when we post American Eagle as AE and not AA (for American Airlines) we run the risk of confusing folks with Aruba Exel. I know I was guilty of this in an earlier post and it was brought to my attention!
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By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2230) on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 1:31 am: |
I gather Saturday/Sunday is the big cruise ship change time in MIA. Is the same true in PR, that there is ne day a week for changes?
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By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15337) on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 2:45 am: |
On Saturdays, after a day in PR, coming back to the airport around 3-5, no unsual lines...however, I've seen them longer at other times, but nothing that has ever been unusual...i.e., if you leave the airport and come back, allow a couple hours to get back in and get to your gate (and this is on the conservative side) ;-)
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By Susan Taft (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #550) on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 7:24 am: |
Glen, guess it does not check for correct placement of capital letters either!! Looks like those of us that are teachers still can't be replaced by computers!!
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By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #498) on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 8:15 am: |
Forget the spell checker. Gremlins are at work on this thread.
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By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2231) on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 11:02 am: |
Tish,
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By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #499) on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 5:36 pm: |
Yes, Glen, not at all what I posted.
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 12:42 pm: |
Susan,
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By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3494) on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 1:09 pm: |
Amy, I've been to the Water Club!!! What a fantastic place! We were up on the roof listening to music and watching the water. One of the most spectacularly themed places ever. Did you ride in the elevator? (remember that, Cynde?? The Blue Wall of Water??)
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 1:18 pm: |
No, Kelly, we didn't ride the elevator, but we heard about it after we'd visited there. The restaurant has a wall of water, and the restrooms were beautiful!
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By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3499) on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 1:25 pm: |
I want to own one of those apartments! What a beautiful, beautiful place. Up on the roof, it was all dark except for a bazillion large hurricane lamp candles, placed all over the place, even on the floor, and very large white sofas and chairs. Very elegant. And the people were beautiful as well... it was a very fun night.
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By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15440) on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 2:08 pm: |
Kelly, of course I remember. I went to the water club at least 6 times when I was in PR It was the standby for a drink on some evenings! The restaurant downstairs "The Tangerine" is really interesting. The decor is cool, kind of orange retro and they also have a huge waterfall behind the bar, the entire wall! It's a little pricy, but good food!
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 2:18 pm: |
Thanks! I'll check out both the burger and the spa if I travel through San Juan again
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