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Getting to Bonaire: American Eagle 1/12/2002
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2002-01-01 to 2002-10-27: American Eagle 1/12/2002
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By philip gelber on Monday, January 14, 2002 - 2:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We were involuntarily denied boarding on American Eagle from Bonaire to San Juan on 1/12. While there were 7 seats left on the flight when we checked in at 5:45AM for a 7AM flight and only three of us, American Eagle stated that they had reached their weight limit and wouldn't let us board. They bumped a total of 15 of the 61 passengers to San Juan.

They brought another Super ATR in and it took off 45 minutes later and made our 1 hour 10 minute connection in San Juan into only 20 minutes. YES 20 minutes to get off the plane, onto the bus, into the terminal, upstairs and a 1/2 mile walk to immigration, pick up bags from American Eagle, go through customs and recheck bags on AA.

Can you believe it, we actually made it!

I guess we should have been grateful that they split up the 7AM flight, but they made it so tight that the 15 people that were bumped with us were all nuts.

American Eagle staff was bored, useless and uncommunicative. Couldn't be pried away from private conversations.

Seems to be a fact of life in that area of the world. We've struggled with ALM for 14 years, vowing never to return to Bonaire, only to book a trip when AA came to town. A big mistake. They must have hired the old ALM staff.

Advice: Check and recheck your return flights while in Bonaire.

Don't take the closest available connection in San Juan.

Allow for an episode like this.

Get to the airport about 5AM for 7AM flight.

Or take Air Jamaica.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Gianos on Monday, January 14, 2002 - 5:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Our outbound flight was too heavy as well. They just took of most of the bags on our flight. This seems to be a known problem, AA needs a bigger plane.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Monday, January 14, 2002 - 5:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

wow! maybe AA will pursue using a larger airplane indeed. I hope so as I do not enjoy those small props. While they are at it, can they change the horrific departure time?

Annie
Cape Cod

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Monday, January 14, 2002 - 5:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Actually, the solution, with the planes they have, is not to book more than 50-55 people per flight to/from Bonaire. This isn't the first time it's happened, but considering what past bumpees have had to go through (fly out via Curacao, get stuck in Curacao, get stuck in Miami, etc.), getting your own extra plane is a pretty nice solution...

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Monday, January 14, 2002 - 6:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Some months back there was comment that AA was going to begin using smallish jets SJU–BON sometime early this year. They would have both more seats and greater weight capability. And allow a later departure from BON for the same flight connections in SJU and likely use jetways in SJU instead of the TP terminal at the back of beyond. Anything new???

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Stackhouse on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 10:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I just noted a post where someone traveling from Bob to SJU found out two days earlier that their flight had been oversold.

The American website indicates that there are two AT-7 flights to Bonaire each evening from San Juan to Bonaire, but only one back!?

1) Where does the second plane go from Bonaire?

2) Is it any wonder that the return trip is therefore oversold? Is this a chronic problem?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Stackhouse on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 10:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Make that "Bon," and not "Bob"!!

 


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