The only people who should go anywhere through Aruba are those who like horror movies in which you can actually take part! We recently visited BON via Aruba after ALM went under and AA insisted. Imagine checking your suitcase in Aruba at the ticket counter upstairs by an AA agent who is checking it "through to NY" and then being called off the plane once seated with 10 minutes til takeoff with the message "Mr & Mrs XYZ please deplane and report to the front desk..." Being looked at by all seated as the latest terrorists just caught, bawled out by the gate person as you leave, all of which without having a clue as to why you are summoned! At the counter we were told it was because we didn't go back downstairs to pick up our suitcase to go through customs.

Fortunately an AA clerk met us and told us he had taken the bag through customs (?) or we might still be there. When I asked whether a reasonable person might guess that "checking a bag through to NY" means "go downstairs and search for it," he replied "and it's not Sept. 11; we've been doing this here for two years."

Aruba is not the best way but it can be done. We went through both ways on Nov 24 and Dec 1 with a tolerable amount of hassle. Both connections were from AA to United in Aruba. Inbound through Aruba was 40 - 45 min, and outbound was 65 min. This was OK with our 1:45 time between flights.