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Getting to Bonaire: If you haven't already booked for the fall
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2006-2008: Archives - 2007-01-01 to 2007-09-30: If you haven't already booked for the fall
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1862) on Thursday, July 5, 2007 - 9:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

It looks like both AA and Continental(from Newark at least) are now offering sales to Bonaire.

I just got off the phone with a Continental person who said I was out of luck for getting the better price ("If a store marks down a sweater a week after you buy it, you don't get the sale price!" To which I replied, actually many stores DO refund the difference).

If you haven't already booked a ticket you should check it out.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Koma a.k.a. Tom C. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4665) on Thursday, July 5, 2007 - 9:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan, thank you so much for the heads up. I hadn't purchased my tickets and had been watching the price go up. You just saved me enough to pay for a rental truck for a week.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Stanfield (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #133) on Thursday, July 5, 2007 - 10:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan,

I had the same experience with Continental twice last year on a lower price ticket after I had booked higher priced tickets earlier. They had a completely "I don't care attitude". I tried to explain that it was just good, honest business to honor the sale prices but they did not agree.

On the other hand I have never had a problem with American honoring a lower price if I booked tickets earlier at a higher price.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #145) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 6:55 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes, American did refund a portion (through a voucher for future travel) on a ticket I had just purchased a week ago. There were no questions or problems at all for American to do it.

Susan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1863) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 8:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

That's great, Tom! I just emailed a link to this thread to Continental's "Customer Care" department, noting that next time, AA will be getting my business (and commenting that this kind of thing may be the deal-breaker for others). The AA fare out of Boston is cheaper than the Continental out of Manchester NH through Newark, as it is.


It would be great if anyone else who has either had the same experience as Michael and I, or who's had the opposite experience with American, chimed in here. Then maybe someone might escalate this past the sweater girl. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Meadows (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1099) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 9:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the heads up on the fare, I'm getting a fare for $350 !
Too bad they won't refund the difference.
When we fly Southwest, they will refund me the difference in credit towards another ticket praciticaly until the week before.
Works for me keeps me fly'n with them.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Koma a.k.a. Tom C. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4668) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 9:45 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan, I hope Continental comes through for you and others. It seems only right to match the policies of other airlines rather than lose future business.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1864) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 11:16 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree, Tom - that's my argument and I'm stickin' with it. :-)

You'll be in Bonaire in October, right? (I think you told me but I'm old. :-))

Lorraine, congratulations, that's a GREAT fare!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan - www.bonairecaribbean.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2781) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 12:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The prices are the cheapest I have seen in YEARS with this new AA sale.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan - www.bonairecaribbean.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2782) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 12:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have been a travel agent for 20+ years (Caribbean specialist). The airlines (AA does anyway) will refund the difference IF the applicable class of service is available.

I suspect CO has this rule because it is the only carrier going into BON and the sale probably was created in a special class of service. Phooey..

Also in all the years of traveling here and in the Caribbean I also see great prices in Oct. It pays to wait to buy your tickets until closer to the date. Hurricane season is not a very busy travel time IMHO.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Julia Graves (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1141) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 12:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just don't get caught out with KLM. We already couldn't get the flight we wanted for March next year

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1865) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 1:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ann,
They changed from a 737-700 to a 737-800 for the flights we're taking (and getting us to Newark an hour earlier, oh joy! Almost 6 hours rather than about 5 hours in Newark Airport!)

Do you happen to know if the 800 is roomier than the 700, or can we look forward to DVT?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5576) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 2:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

AA had this same sort of sale last year if I remember correctly? Will have to check the archives, but I know they had a great sale about the same time... Good to know for future reference.

Sometimes, one cannot wait till the last minute to buy tickets due to time of year. Continental loses me this winter, got great airfare with AA that will not be beat, not even Continental. I will fly Continental when I can get cheap flights though. My next three trips are booked already, 2 on Continental and one on AA. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Barry Baker (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #554) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 4:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

WOW, I had not purchased mine for October yet, this will save me about $280 or so a ticket compared to what I was looking at just a month ago.

Aquaman

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1866) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 4:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Okay, everyone else is getting the discounts but me!! It's not fair!!

If anyone wants to thank me monetarily... :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kobi in Virginia (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #720) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 7:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan,

The 700 is standard length and the 800 is a stretched version; holds more passengers via more rows of seats but not roomier. Diameter of fuselage doesn't change :-( Still a cool plane though!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kobi in Virginia (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #721) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 7:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My husband (41) is just coming off Coumadin from DVT. Not from flying to BON in April as he got it in February! We're not sure WHY he got DVT but scary none the less :-( I always demand (yes, a little spoiled!) first class just to ensure more leggy room.

Kobi

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1867) on Friday, July 6, 2007 - 9:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Kobi,
Both my husband and I have had our hips replaced, and both of us were on Coumadin for a month each hip. I really was craving green vegetables like brocolli and spinach after those months, I can tell you!

We were at risk for clots due to the surgeries but never got any - I'm glad they were able to diagnose and treat your husband successfully, that had to have been a scary time.


(Message edited by susanf on July 6, 2007)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kobi in Virginia (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #730) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 10:45 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Susan and SO glad you two never had clot issues! YES, Rob and I were skeer'd sh*tless by this whole DVT thing! I know Rob really missed his veggies for 6 months too! That med really stinks and he was tired alot from it. He is weening himself off as his 6 month treatment is over. Doc ok'd him to just take 1/2 pill until we get back from upcoming BON trip. So, end of July no more stinkin pills & we're praying NO MORE DVT!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dr. Director (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #395) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 10:52 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Our daughter just booked the CO flights to join us one week. Thanks for the info.

Confirmation indicates a meal on the flight to BON and a snack on return. For those who have taken these flights, is this true, and if so, what is offered?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5581) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 12:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ah, I don't know yet, but will be taking it in August from Newark. I don't have a meal thingie on my ticket as we leave at 11:30 at night, I think a snack is the only thing on there. Plan to eat prior and sleep all the way down. Maybe your daughter is flying during a dinner time hour?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dr. Director (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #396) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 5:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Same flights you are on Debbie (as they are the only nonstops).

Online, it had said no meals when she booked, yet her confirmation says snack on the way back. (I had also misread the outbound flight slightly, associating the title line "meal" with the flight to BON - my mistake. Maybe I need to take remedial reading.)


BTW,

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1868) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 6:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kobi,
We happened to have our hips replaced at a hospital that had a Coumadin clinic, with nurses full-time on staff whose only job was apparently analysing the results from blood drawn and deciding the dosage for that day.

When my husband went in for his first hip replacement, one of them regaled him with this litany: "If you get a blood clot in your leg because you aren't moving around and your blood isn't thin enough, you'll DIE!!! But if your blood is too thin because you're taking too much Coumadin, you'll DIE!!! That's why we check your blood every day!!!"

He finally asked the other what was up with her you'll DIE!! thing, and found out that she'd recently lost a loved one. It was a bit strange though.

For his second and my two operations she was much more laid back. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Thorpe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #173) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 7:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Your not just a kidding you'll die--I do residential service work, and a gentlemen who was on coumadin answered the door, I had to call the paramedics. It seems his coumadin was out of whack causing him to have a stroke.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kobi in Virginia (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #733) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 7:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bill thanks for saving that guy's life! Oye....that is the ONE thing Rob will not miss about that stinkin rat poison; blood checks. I remember in the VERY beginning of this fiasco he had to take shots in his stomach; lovenox.

Sorry got off topic :-) Hope you guys get some good airfares to BON. We'll be on the ground, if all goes well with AJ, July 21st PM.

Kobi

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1869) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 10:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oh, we understood, and didn't take it lightly, followed the dietary rules, etc. It was just that she was so EMPHATIC! about it. :-)

I have "bad veins" - they have lots of valves, from what I understand - and anytime someone needs to tap one is a real PITA - I'm talking multiple attempts - usually at least 4 or 5 before they call in "nurse X, she ALWAYS gets a good one".

Having a nurse visit every day to every other day for a month to do the "good vein shuffle" for the test was not fun.

I was Really Happy when they were able to do the blood test using strips like for diabetes, but that wasn't until after the second operation. :-)

True, it got off-topic - my fault. But who doesn't want to know about Coumadin? :-) :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By cat logan (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Sunday, July 8, 2007 - 11:02 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank you so much for the heads up. I just bought my tickets for Continental 3 weeks ago and couldn't believe the sale price. Continental was willing to give me travel vouchers for the difference in price, less $100.00 change fee per ticket. I bought tickets through Traveler's Advantage ( a discount site my CC signed me up for. I don't see any discounts there, but they give you 5% cash back on travel purchases). They are actually refunding me the entire difference in cash. They have a low price guarantee for the day you buy your ticket, but the way it is worded online, it looks like they will match the price if you find it lower the same day, or refund you the difference if you call within 30 days. It took a little bit of begging, but he saw where it said that online and voila, refund of almost $400.00 coming my way. Yay. Now I can afford to eat when we're down in Bonaire!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tararaboomdeay aka Kali and Kai (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3996) on Sunday, July 8, 2007 - 3:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I wasn't going to check - just didn't want to feel badly about the $1,098/tkt price I paid for our Continental flights from Santa Barbara in Sept.
But I could help myself --- I'm glad I did. The sale price is only a few dollars less - $997/tkt
I can live with that :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andy & Dave Bartlett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #829) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 2:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dr. Director,, When we did the Continental Flight from Houston We got a snack going to Bonaire and a meal coming back. The flight leaves Houston at 11:30pm so most everyone had supper before boarding. The flight leaves Bonaire at 7:30am so we got breakfast coming back home. Hope this helps you.

Andy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dr. Director (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #397) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 7:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank you Andy! Will pass the info on to our daughter, but suspect she will also not count on having any food of significance.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1883) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 8:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tara,
I think this particular sale was on the Newark-Bonaire flight... though I could be wrong.

For what it's worth, even though I indicated that I would like someone at Continental to contact me, they have made no effort to do so. American is looking better and better for next time.

 


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