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Getting to Bonaire: Air Jamaica Question?
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 1999-06-02 to 2001-12-31: Air Jamaica Question?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Lambert on Monday, December 10, 2001 - 5:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am flying Air Jamaica from Houston to Bonaire via Montego Bay. When I get to Montego Bay, do I have to go through immigration and/or customs, or can I just get off one plane and get on the next one?

Thanks,
Greg

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jan Klos on Monday, December 10, 2001 - 6:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We flew in from Boston and back a couple of weeks ago-- at that time there was no need to go thru customs etc.. They have a transit area with food and stores----but be prepared to have your carry-ons searched when you board for your connecting flight---Enjoy--

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Monday, December 10, 2001 - 6:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You sit in a hot boring departure hall. No decent food but you can watch the local dancers in local garb sing "welcome to Jamaica" over and over..YIKESSSSSSSSS..go find a red stripe and chill..Annie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Meryl Virga on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 12:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Word to the wise...your baggages go straight throught to Bonaire...check your baggage claim tickets that the Houston airport gives you...make sure all their final destination say Boanire and not Montego bay...on our last trip two bags were tagged Montego bay and we did not recieve them till the plane ride home....Another tip of the trade...we learn something new every visit....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kay Powers on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 2:22 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Greg,

I travelled that route Thanksgiving week and when we arrived in Montego Bay we didn't go through customs again. They did do a random check for carry on luggage. Actually the agent doing the spot checking was complaining how hot it was and after checking 2 pieces of carry ons he actually just tapped on the outside and sent you through. There was no organization to it whatsoever. Like letting a herd of cattle out of a gate!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Lambert on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 11:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks guys.

We only have 45 minutes between flights, and I worried that having to go through immigration or customs would cause us to miss our connecting flight. Hopefully we will get out of Houston on time and will not have any problems. Now my main concern is will our luggage make it? I'm going to carry on all the essentials and hope for the best.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Goodwin on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 3:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Greg,

Two weeks ago we went Air Jamaica from Chicago to Bonaire via Montego Bay.

As long as you stay in the transit lounge you will not have to go through customs or immigration. And don't leave anything on the plane!! My wife discovered that she had left a library book on the plane. We had to take passports & immigration cards out of the transit terminal, go OUTSIDE the entire terminal complex to get to some offices in a rather "seedy" spot of the airport. The book was there and she got it back. Then we had to come back through and show our passports to get back to the transit lounge. Kind of a pain. But as long as you don't leave the transit area, you are fine.

All of our luggage made it to Bonaire (this is the second time we have used AJ and both times the luggage made it through). However, I second the suggestion to check the luggage tags at Houston to be sure they are tagged for Bonaire. We always double check the tags at O'Hare.

Before AJ changed all of their schedules, we use to have about a 45 minute connect time on our way down. We made the connection and so did our luggage. My experiences with AJ have been nothing but positive.

As for your carry on luggage, it appeared as though it was a random search. Neither my wife, my daugter, or myself were subjected to a carry on search. However, the other two folks in our group did have their carry ons searched. Security instructed us to just walk on through....

As far as the transit lounge, I don't think it's that bad. I always leave Chicago in shorts and a t-shirt, so when I get to Jamaica I'm prepared for the heat. And they now have a Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Cafe at the far end of the transit terminal. Pretty decent food, American beer, and continuous Buffet concert videos going. We had a 2.5 hour layover on our way back, and actually amused ourselves quite satisfactorily (but it did come out to about a $150 bar tab....).

Enjoy your trip and good luck.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Howick on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 11:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm leaving Chicago at 6:15 am and traveling AJ through Montego Bay. Can I buy duty free alcohol in the Transit Terminal?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Davison on Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 9:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

>> Can I buy duty free alcohol in the Transit Terminal? <<

Yup. No problem mon!

Bob

 


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