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Getting to Bonaire: Connection time in SJU on return trip
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2005-08-10 to 2005-12-13: Connection time in SJU on return trip
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steven (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - 10:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

What is the minimum time needed on returning to the US on AA when connecting thru San Juan? Our connecting flight time was changed so that we have 1hr and 12 minutes between flights. I understand that we need to go thru customs, claim our bags and then return our bags while in San Juan. Three different AA representatives have said it is adequate time, and that we should have no trouble making the connection. Perhaps because it is around 10AM the airport will not be so crowded. Does anyone have recent experience with a close connection time returning thru San Juan?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15565) on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - 11:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Steven, you should be OK as long as your origination flight is on time. I've had an hour connection before and made it. They make the whole process fairly smooth. The longest part is probably the walk from the bus that drops you off at the terminal and where you pick up your bags, but then that gives them time to get your bags to the terminal!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Phillips (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #266) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 1:38 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

It's definitely a good thing to be aware of that walk from the gate to the baggage/immigration/customs area, because it is indeed a VERY LOOOOONNNGGG walk -- I would say around ten minutes walking at a good clip. No problem though if you're mentally prepared for it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #515) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 2:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

How important is it to you to make this connection? You've got a good chance of missing it.
You will need to go through security again in addition to immigration, baggage claim, customs, and rechecking your bags.
I live on Bonaire, fly this route often, and think you're taking a big chance. If missing the connection would mess you up big time, then do not accept this tiny connection time.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #418) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 8:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree with Tish. Our last trip we had to wait for the bags for quite a while. Personally, based on my expirience with 6 trips to Bonaire, I would not be comfortable with 1 hr 12 minutes layover in San Juan due to fact that you have to claim your luggage - this is a slow process in San Juan in my expirience. I'm not saying you won't make it for sure but I'd be prepared for that possibility.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steven (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 8:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the advice. We'll try to change the connection to the next one.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15568) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 11:45 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tish, I've never had to go through security again when going through SJ (on the return). You have to put your checked bags through the x-ray machine before you give them to back to be checked, but have never had to go through any other type of security check...have they changed something since October?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3545) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 12:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tish I'm so jealous that you can put "I live on Bonaire" in every post. It's just not fair. lol.
Maybe someday [sigh]. For now, I'll just put "when I was there in October" as often as possible. ;) (although in November, I could say, "when I was there last month").

Cynde, I don't remember going through security again either, and I go that route every time. Maybe I'm just blocking it out? ha

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #517) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 2:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Maybe they just keep changing what they require to confuse us all. :-) But I have, indeed, had to go through security again. I sure do hope that's no longer true!
I've had way more friends miss their connections flying down to Bonaire than flying back. But I try to allow a lot of time for connections both ways because I have run into some horrendous crowds in SJ. Maybe I just have all the luck, huh?
Hey, there, Kelly! No jealousy allowed. Think of the taxes you save by not living here!! I actually don't put that I'm a Bonaire resident in every post. Just yesterday on another thread I had to explain that after not putting it down in earlier posts and confusing the poor fellow whose question I was trying to answer. So maybe I should just start every message with ilob. Clear abbreviation???

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15578) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 3:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tish, when was the last time you went through SJ going to the states? I'm with Kelly, never had to go through security going back (and I've been through 3 times this year...KELLY, DO NOT GIVE ME GRIEF ABOUT POSTING THAT) LOL!

Tish, I like ILOB ;-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3548) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 3:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Three times this year... that is CRIMINAL I tell ya !!!

Yes, Tish, I like that! ILOB.

And mine will be ID(don't)OB.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #518) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 3:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

August.
But I'm thrilled to hear this might not be standard practice. Thanks!! :-)
My next AA adventure will be via Miami and Curacao. Very sick of flying. How does Jake manage to survive it?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ginny Stokes (BonaireTalker - Post #31) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 3:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

In November we had to go through security again, and as I recall that is the norm. You exit immigration & customs, the baggage x-ray system is to your right and they take your bags from you at that point. (If you have to stop by the AA Customer Service to rebook flights, you still have your bags with you at that point, but as soon as rebooking is completed, you drop off your bags for x-ray.) This is all in the immediate vicinity of the exit from customs. Then, without your checked luggage, you walk along a hallway which parallels the baggage x-ray, then make a right turn and you're ready to go through personal security again.

My husband has a titanium knee, and he gets personally wanded every time at every airport, so I have a good recall of the SJU set-up.

I wouldn't trust the 1 hour-12 min interval either - sometimes you wait about 30 min just for the luggage to come up to the carousel.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5701) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 3:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tish,

I survive my air travel via a number of ways:

- Having a good book in hand to read
- Having my laptop fully charged and ready for use for e-mail, writing, etc.
- Having a fully charged MP3 player (used to be a Creative Zen Micro, but I recently upgraded to a video iPod) on hand in case I need to shut out the world around me
- Having a credit card with a decent credit line available to charge a hotel room to on the fly in case I get stranded
- Having a cell phone with local calling ability and a list of phone numbers to call in the event of travel delays (typically as soon as I get wind of a travel delay via cell phone messaging or status boards, I'm on the phone with American to figure out how to get rerouted so I can make my destination in a reasonable time - I never wait at service desks unless I have no choice)
- Having a good attitude about traveling in general, assuming all will go well, and if it doesn't dealing with it instead of getting upset - I figure I will ultimately get to where I'm going, even if it takes a few more hours or another day.
- I also may bring my Sony PSP portable gaming system with me on long trips, just for something else to do - plays movies too.

Of course, flying as much as I do, the free first class upgrades and priority boarding don't hurt either :-)

Jake (home on Bonaire for all of December - so far at least :-) )

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2594) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well, this past August, we had to get our bags in San Juan then they x-ray them, you put it on another belt to go where ever you are going next and you go through customs/security with your carry on and self. That's the scoop. same thing as it always has been since I been going. Now, I fly AA all the way, so I do not have to take luggage to get on a different airline and check the luggage, that would take even longer I think.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3553) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ginny, this was my first vacation (in Oct.) traveling with my newly implanted titanium plate in my cervical spine. I showed my card once when I left Columbus, Oh, and when leaving Bonaire. Neither of those places even picked it up on the walk through security! I couldn't believe it! I don't remember another security in San Juan, but I know I didn't have to show my card at all traveling, coming OR going. Which, frankly, disappointed me. lol. I mean, I had a horrendous surgery, could someone please pay attention to me????? LMAO!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3554) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jake, you're home for the entire month? Wow! I bet the family is happy! (as are you!):-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5702) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I think they are :-)

But my next trip starts January 2nd, so I need to make the best of being home!

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15579) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well, then I must need ANOTHER vacation to the Caribbean to re-trace my steps...I guess I must just block that little step out of my mind...geez...dang brain infarcts...CRS...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3555) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, I totally agree... we need to have a big "do-over" !!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15580) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I call "shenanigans!"

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cheryl Ferguson (BonaireTalker - Post #52) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 6:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly, what card did you get? My neurosurgeon said that I would not need anything to identify my titanium plates & screws because the metal detector is not 'fine tuned' enough to pick it up. I figured if the alarm did go off, I'd just show them my scar! LOL!! Looks like something from out of the X-Files anyway ;o)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3556) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 11:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Cheryl! I have a card that is laminated that has my name (duh), what the surgery was, where the plate is located, and what the plate is called.

In addition to that, there is a "mini-xray" actually on the card. It's about an inch square. It shows the plate and screws and is actually pretty cool. You can imagine my disappointment that no one asked to see it and when I did show it, they said the machine hadn't picked it up. lol.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #445) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 9:44 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

kelly, you can show it to us on your next trip. we promise to be suitably impressed and oooh and ahhhh a lot (after you buy us some drinks)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #519) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 10:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey, Kelly, everybody on BT is paying attention! :-)
That's a bigger audience by far than you get at some old security check.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #520) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 10:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wonderful words of wisdom, Jake!
Allowing sufficient time to make connections doesn't hurt either. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #521) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 10:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

That's it, Cyn! Turn this thread into an excuse to fly to Bonaire immediately!!! :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15594) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 11:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yea, kelly, you need to show us the card and the scar when you buy us lots of drinks next time...LOL!

Tish, yes, I do need to go back and check...LOL! I swear, I even wrote down the steps and my mind goes completely BLANK when I try to envision where I go next after I drop my bags...guess that's the hard part and it's cake after that so I have a mental block...LOL! that or its the hot flashes clouding my memory (but we don't EVEN want to go there) LOL!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #522) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 11:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

The logical conclusion is that SJ varies the process, perhaps based on intelligence of terrorist threats?
Or do you suppose they are trying to drive us all nuts?
And have they succeeded? :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3558) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 12:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes! They have succeeded in driving us all nuts. (short drive for me).

Pat, thanks for the offer. I will be happy to soak up attention. lol.

What I remember after that turn-your-luggage-back-over step was Cynde and I realizing we were parting ways and starting to cry like a baby! lol!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2600) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 2:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Cynde, What is the name of that hotel you stop by while at San Juan sometimes for a burger? I forgot to take the print out from BT, so hubby and I just went to Old San Juan on our layover?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3561) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 2:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie, it's the Hampton Inn. ;)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15604) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 3:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Actually, it's the HampTONE (emphasis on the "tone") Inn in Isla Verde...LOL! At least that's the way the locals pronounce it (not those from the Dominican Republic however...LOL!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3563) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 3:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie, it's at the bar area at the pool. I would assume they have the same food inside, but you need to sit at the round bar at the pool. It's way cool.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mare (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1214) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 4:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly,

For me, the gist of this thread is
after you buy us some drinks, you show us the card that shows you had surgery. Where do we line up for free drinks?

C. Loo Hoo, Um, traveling from Bonaire. WAAAAAaaaaaaaa. Lots of Wogga is usually involved and it's a blurrrrr until I'm home. Where is sAN juAN?

Tish, I live and work in New York City.

Jake, I am reminded of an old Harry Chapin song about traveling on a greyhound bus "It's got to be the going, not the getting there, that's good."

Steven, I hope you make (made) all of your connection(s).

g'day y'all

may all of your flights have no wigginess,
and may all of your luggage arrive intact.

mare

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2605) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 4:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, Cynde and Kelly! You have no idea the grief I gave hubby when we got to San Juan and I asked him where the print out was I had laid by the carry-on? He didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Now, granted we all start packing as soon as we get home from one trip for the next trip, but...., you know how it goes. LOL! Thanks, now see if I can keep this info in a safe spot till February!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2487) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 4:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly, I don't care about the card, I wanna see the SCAR!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15607) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 5:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

There is no restaurant inside the Hotel. The only food they serve is at the pool bar:-) OH, and normally Jimmy is working the grill, he's a good and funny guy:-)

(Message edited by cyndelee on December 9, 2005)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ginny Stokes (BonaireTalker - Post #33) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 5:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly, my husband has fused vertebrae, too, and his back never sets off the personal wand - evidently not quite enough titanium. The knee, however, does. Without fail.

LOL - after reading all of these posts, it is abundantly clear why some of you don't remember going through security again at SJU...must remember next time, drink more!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3564) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 5:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ginny, I personally feel that for as much pain as I went through, the security people should say, "ohhhh you POOR DEAR!" and then offer me a drink. lol !!!

Note to self. Drink more.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #524) on Sunday, December 11, 2005 - 5:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

So, Mare, your acronym would be ilawinyc?
I felt pretty il aw in y(u)c too when I left my host's Brooklyn apartment at 2 a.m. stumbling over frozen slush in my flip flops in order to fly home yesterday, but I'm back on Bonaire now, super jet lagged since I flew from London to NYC on Monday night, but no worse for wear except that American Airlines managed to lose my suitcase and evidently exhaustion has made me forget how to end sentences.

 


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