As of this morning, our flight from SJU to BON on Sunday 22 Feb 2009 has been dropped from our itinerary! Received NO notification from AA! Also, using the AA website, NO alternative flights could be found ANY TIME within a week of 22 February. Hopefully it's because the scheduling website is in transition and there will be someway to still get to BON sometime near to Feb 22.

Same thing just happened to us for our trip in September. The agent I was talking too couldn't find availability in the September time frame so I canceled all the tickets and asked for my miles back; they gave the miles back. Back to square one.

AA is recalling several ATR's back to the states for domestic service. They are to cover routes for a/c that will be retired. This was announced last week, I believe.

The AA news releases stated that they would be still flying to Bonaire, but as of now, I could find NOTHING available in February.

Just check our reservations for October and our SJU to BON also has been cancelled. I also noted that there were no options coming up on the site. After looking at the website I found that they intend to start contacting people with alternatives on June 2. This may be why they are not showing the ability to book a flight. We would like to think that they are saving those options for those of us who just got bumped.
My mantra is: We WILL find a way to get to Bonaire!!

This morning I just happened to be checking our seat assignments for our trip in FEB 09...that is when I noticed that our flight home was deleted and our outbound flight was changed.

I called AA immediately, as I had not received an email...the agent told me that they made the changes overnight and will be contacting everyone on Monday.

The agent was able to change our flights. One of the flights we are on does not appear in the system yet, you have to call AA. If you punch in the dates on your computer...it states that there are no flights, but in fact there is a flight.

She told us that they are only flying once per day from BOS to SJU and the flight leaves at 6:15 AM. There is also only one flight from SJU to BON and that flight leaves at 7:30 PM. She also said that there are no flights on Thursday. So we had to change our departure day to Friday. (so we get an extra day in Bonaire)

We are traveling to BON from FEB 03 to MAR 06 and every leg of our trip was impacted, but in the end it all worked out (for now) and we were still able to use our miles.

Thank goodness I checked...who knows how confusing Monday will be, when they start calling everyone.

But it is still early...so who knows what will happen in the months to come

Thanks for the heads up on this! I am flying AA in November and just called AA to check on my flights. They had me leaving and getting to Bonaire, but leaving Bonaire has disappeared. They told me AA is only going into Bonaire Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays, so that explained my disappeared flight. Glad I called as the girl was nice and put us on the next scheduled AA flight out of Bonaire, so we get more time on Bonaire now. I am so glad, however, that our August and February flights are on Continental as I could not imagine having to go through that with them too! I will say AA did give me a choice of coming back a day earlier or stay longer, of course, I took the staying longer route. I did not receive any notification other than here on BT, so consider myself lucky that I got to AA before all the massive rescheduling starts.
I love this website.

Additional info: The above information is correct for days changed for flying into Bonaire for my flight in November. I don't know if they plan on keeping that schedule for the winter flights, I would suggest you call AA to find out as I did. The girl at AA said they are getting swamped with calls with all their flight changes.

I just finished a long conversation with AA as our Christmas/New Year's flights had changed out of Boston and disappeared for the Bonaire part. I was told that they will now fly to Bonaire on Tues, Thurs and Sat and from Bonaire on Wed, Fri, Sunday. We were able to rebook our flights to go a day earlier and come home a day earlier. Thank you Chet for the heads up!

Susan, You are correct! I got the same information from AA for our November trip, was already flying in on a Sat., but our departing flight from Bonaire had disappeared, we just rebooked our flights as well. We were supposed to leave on a Monday, but now are leaving the following Wednesday, so more time on Bonaire!

I think it is a good thing to get this fixed now rather than wait for a call. I just got off the phone with AA. I managed to get on a SJU to BON flight on Oct 14 instead of the 13th. I am so happy to have been able to GET a seat. No complaints here. Glad I did not do my usual and wait for them to contact me.
Yes, I also...love this site. We know more about what is going on with the flights than some of the airline people.
Wishing everyone luck with their changes.
Ginny

I just had my 2/4 out of Boston and my 2/14 return flights cancelled. There are alternate dates available, but all involve huge layovers in San Juan now. Some of those alternate flights are now double the price of my original tickets! Also, the SJU flights into Bonaire no longer arrive at 8:58 PM. They've been pushed back to 9:31 PM making the layovers even longer.

I'll be looking at Jet Blue to Aruba and DAE to Bonaire now. I didn't want to do that, but I don't have any other choices since my travel dates are not fexible.

Stan

Did any one find out when these changes go into effect? I checked our return flights (July) and they are still showing up.

From the web AA website, flights prior to Sept. 3rd are NOT affected. WHEW! We just sneak in under the radar. I'm keeping my fingers crossed no further changes are made!

Just got off the phone with AA. They've lined us up with new flights using miles in September. They say they're have problems confirming a couple of the flights though - told me to give them 48 hours to work on it. They assigned me a locator number, deducted my miles and told me to call back on Tuesday.

More and more it's looking like going thru Curacao will become an easier way to get on Bonaire!?
I'm just wondering with the new A A changes if the frequency [twice a day]will change?!

The Bonaire Insider has notice of the changes to and from Bonaire and date it will go into effect. Here is the link: http://www.bonaireinsider.com/

We were able to reschedule from Sunday to Saturday, but only got 1 of our 2 business class upgrades we had on the Sunday flights. Now we'll need to find a place to stay for another night. Since we had 2 or 3 of AA/AE flights without major issues, I had forgotten how disappointing their "customer service" can be.

Thanks for the heads up on the changes.

I normally check my reservations every few days for changes but had not checked for a while. I had to spend an hour and half on the phone getting 4 trips moved around. Fortunately only one day on each trip had to be changed and the really good news is we have to spend more time in Bonaire on each trip and our travel day getting to the Island was reduced by two and half hours. We get to leave at 8:15 am instead of 6 am.
Changes can have good results.

Always remember travel day is just an adventure day.

I am disappointed no immediate notice was sent on schedule change.

Thanks Debbie,
That site gives all the needed info.
So looking at the bright side of 9 hours in San Juan we have decided to venture out to the rain forest. Can anyone give me advice on this? What do we really need for time? How to get there? We will not rent a car, so bus ( preferred) or cab info would help.
We need to make this an adventure day .
Thanks for any help.
Ginny

Here is what AE put out as press release

American Airlines/American Eagle Announces New Flight Schedule to Bonaire

In following up on recent stories, American Airlines and American Eagle, which serve Bonaire through their San Juan gateway, just announced a new flight schedule beginning September 3, 2008.

The new schedule allows for non-stop flights from San Juan to Bonaire each Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, departing San Juan at 7:30 PM and arriving Bonaire at 9:31 PM.

Return non-stop flights, beginning September 3, 2008, will be on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, departing Bonaire at 7:50 AM and arriving San Juan at 9:55 AM.

Those holding reservations for days of the week where service is being canceled should contact American Airlines/American Eagle to make other arrangements. (Source: American Airlines)

This is very discouraging news. The thought of a 7 1/2 layover, and getting into Bonaire an hour later ( not including the very long day to get home), will mean that we will be looking for an new route down and back.

I plan on sending an email to AA (for what good it will do)!

Just saw on fox Business news bottom line Delta is to lay off 1000 employees, while A A will lay off 400 San Juan P R employees.

What a mess. Many of my clients fly from BOS. The 9:30 flight to SJU has been cut. The only flight leaves 6:15 creating a HUGE layover in SJU to go to all the Caribbean islands. Double connections prevail. Here is my conspiracy theory: It's all to get us to spend more money in SJU. I think it's time to readjust the "what to do in San Juan" list.

I stayed in El Yunque for 2 nights once. Personally I think it's a lot to do in a day/layover and pricey. I rented a car and it took over an hour to get there. It was not a fun drive IMHO. I would definitely rent a hotel day room in Isla Verde or do Old San Juan. I am still looking for a good spa/hair salon.

Sad about the AA news. I think it's time for me to switch fully to CO.

For once, I have no AA flights booked for the foreseeable future (there goes my Platinum status with them - I will survive with my life-time Gold, I guess).

Our next couple sets of flights to the U.S. are with Continental. I hate the red-eye and the once-a-week limitation, but the connections sure are easier. And I guess it just means longer stays - instead of 10 days, we'll do two weeks, for example :-)

Not sure what I'll do for business trips north, but sadly I suspect it will involve flying through Curacao, which I detest doing (although I love Divi Divi as the way to get to/from Curacao, but usually can't get seats short notice).

BTW, the message Susan (BSDME) posted above about the AA Press Release is actually an original article from Bonaire Insider written after extensive research via phone calls and correspondence with AA, and is not a press release from American Airlines. Just wanted to make sure that is made clear.

Oh - and one final tidbit for those flying AE after Sept. 3rd - make sure to pack a full set of necessary clothes/toiletries in your carry ons because if your luggage gets delayed, you probably won't see it for three days (as used to be the case when the frequency on the flights was only a few times a week).

Jake

Thanks to all that posted. I too found my December flights no longer existed. I was able to change the flights even though they are during the busy Christmas season. One day less on Bonaire but at least I'm still able to make it. :>

Jake, coming back home from Boston it is way easier to take the late AM flight 527 and 939 into CUR and then the scary DAE to Bonaire. Does anyone know if Insel flies at night? Fingers crossed. I had to change two flights and now will be flying DAE.

Ann
Pack a lunch or two and bring your Jammies if your flying DAE--lol

As far as I know, DAE is the only inter island airline to fly after dark.

Jake

Thanks for the heads up.
Checked on our flights.
Jan 8 th Every thing OK on outbound flights but found return flight were messed up.
Poor me will have to stay a extra day.
Hope WE have a place to stay.

I just returned yesterday via AA, from SJU on 5/25 and to SJU from BON on 6/2 the ATR was not even half full, not sure if this is a seasonal thing. Oh boy, those ATRs can wear you out compare to pure jets.

Funny how KLM flies daily using an MD11, not sure of the load factor.

Rob

Heads up - looks like as of Sep. 3rd, American is also canceling the afternoon MIA-CUR-MIA flight (there are a couple of days in mid-October where it will occur again), leaving an evening MIA-CUR flight with a matching CUR-MIA in the early morning. Will make connections through Curacao a bit more challenging too. I am not looking forward to this...

Jake