BonaireTalk Discussion Group
Getting to Bonaire: American Eagle or Air Jamaica?
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 1999-06-02 to 2001-12-31: American Eagle or Air Jamaica?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R. Whunk on Sunday, November 4, 2001 - 7:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Is it better/safer/cheaper to fly to bonaire via
American (American Eagle), or Air Jamaica?

We are coming from LAX in Los Angeles, and wondered
what other peoples' experiences were.

Oh: is food at restuarants/markets very expensive?

Thanks.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Sunday, November 4, 2001 - 8:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Food in markets is about the same as US, depending on what you buy. Eating out varies a LOT, from very inexpensive local "Snacks" (which are often very good), to the foodmobile opposite the hospital (we enjoyed the Roti) to high-end restaurants. Check the dining out section, and also trip reports. There's a Bonaire Dining Guide available also. I don't think we've had a really bad meal on Bonaire. A couple of very mediocre ones at several resorts --- and some very memorable meals. Definitely try the local places, the daily special is often excellent.

We're coming from Rochester, NY in Feb. on American, but have no previous experience on either AA or AJ. It seems to be very mixed, sometimes it'll be great, other times not --- regardless of which airline you take. We couldn't make AJ work for us without an overnight at one of their gateways in both directions, so we opted for AA through San Juan. Just after we booked, they expanded their schedule through Aruba, which looks better, but it's probably not possible for us to change.

However you get to Bonaire, it's worth any hassle. We've had no problems on 4 previous trips: just some very long days.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Feldman on Sunday, November 4, 2001 - 8:47 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We've had no trouble at all with Air Jamaica from Boston. When we were last there though, there was a young couple who'd come in on AJ from LA. They'd not been paying close attention at the check-in and apparently their luggage was routed to Montego Bay only - not through to Bonaire. So they ended up without their luggage from Sat (when they arrived) until Wednesday (AJ had not reinstated the Sunday flights at that point.)

This was a hard-luck couple for this trip - apparently when flying home, the wifes return ticket Montego Bay to LA suddenly became a stand-by ticket. When I last saw them (in MB), the husband was ready to rip the head off of any Maduro Travel Agent who might happen to pass by. As far as I know though, they both got on the airplane as scheduled.

They'd also travelled with others from LA (they were all staying at Captain Don's, as were we) who had no trouble whatsoever, either with their luggage or their travel. So, it really seemed to be luck of the draw, or bad karma, or something, for this poor couple.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Sunday, November 4, 2001 - 9:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Every once in a while, it helps that airline employees don't know about BON. I one time had an airline give me frequent flyer miles for JFK-BOM-rtn instead of JFK-BON-rtn---BOM is Bombay, India! I didn't complain. :–)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Sunday, November 4, 2001 - 9:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Glen..tooooo funny..HA! I am on the floor..and how bout how they spell Bonaire in PR. (Bon Aire) My 9 year old was incensed by the whole matter: "Momma, don't they know how to spell Bonaire?"

In closing the mail thing STILL stymies me..I get back letters weeks after I mail them and was in BON when a friend got a card from me..5 weeks after I posted it..LOL

90% of the folks in my life have never heard of Bonaire.."you want to live where??"..LOL

Nite

Annie
Cape Cod

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI on Monday, November 5, 2001 - 3:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ann..lets start a "Wanna live in Bonaire" group

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Monday, November 5, 2001 - 4:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbi, Count me in..Dara is living proof it can happen. Also, I fell in love with Antigua in the later 80's and moved there so it can happen. Bonaire is just such a MUCH NICER place..I miss it sooooo..I pray somehow my skills are needed there..or some nice Bonairean sweeps me off my feet..(he has to windsurf tho..giggle)

Annie
Cape Cod

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chet Wood on Monday, November 5, 2001 - 4:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

And have a meeting in late Feb or early March!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde Lee on Monday, November 5, 2001 - 8:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

R. Whunk..back to the subject at hand. We went AJ from LAX to Bon in September. Other than having them cancel a flight a week before we left (they called us and put us on the one the next day, and we came back a day later, so it didn't interupt our vacation) they were great. I had checked into all the options, and AJ has a port o call in Jamaica, so you only have one stop, LAX to Jam, to Bon. The lay over in Jam was fine, we hung out in the First class lounge (no, we didn't fly first class, but they let you hang out there while waiting to get to Bon).

Anyway, it saved us about 6 -10 hours in lay over time, and extra stops. The service was better than most American carriers. Just remember that on the day you leave Bon, the ticket counter opens at 11:00, get there at 10 or so to be first in line to check you luggage. We did, avoided the 2 hour line, went back to the Sand$, snorkeled for an hour, showered, checked out, had lunch, and then headed back to the airport at 2. In otherwords, our trip this summer will be AJ all the way :-)

 


Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites


Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration