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Local Items: American Eagle announces nonstop service
Bonaire Talk: Local Items: Archives: Archives 2001- 2004: Archives - 2001-03-08 to 2002-10-17: American Eagle announces nonstop service
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 10:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just received the following info from PADI :)

Beginning on 2 June 2001 American Eagle, American Airlines regional affiliate introduces nonstop service from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Bonaire. Using American Airlines' San Juan hub, the new service provides visitors to Bonaire with more flexibility in choosing a flight route.

Using a 64-seat Super ATR 72 airplane, American Eagle flight #5622 will depart San Juan at 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday arriving into Bonaire at 8:20 p.m. On Sunday, Wednesday and Friday American Eagle flight #5623 will depart Bonaire at 6:25 a.m. arriving into San Juan at 8:45 a.m.

"We could not be more pleased with American Eagle's decision to initiate service to Bonaire," said Ramonsito Booi, Bonaire's Commissioner of Tourism. "The service, which allows for connections from most American Airlines flights into San Juan, will not only make Bonaire more accessible from North America, but will also increase the number of seats to Bonaire, which during peak times are in great demand."

In conjunction with the introductory fare offered by American Airlines/American Eagle, several hotels and resorts on Bonaire represented by PADI Travel Network are offering special promotional packages to celebrate the launch of service, including Aqua Viva Apartments, Buddy Dive Resort, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino, Happy Holiday Homes, Harbour Village Beach Resort, Plaza Resort Bonaire, and Sand Dollar Condominium Resort.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anonymous on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 10:44 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

that's how i'm getting there - june 21st...

can't wait;-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 5:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am scheduled for the 2 June inaugural--fingers crossed!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kerri Freeman on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 6:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You deserters...well have a good time..let me know how it is, since Can.3000 is in flux. Like to see my San Juan friends again, for that matter.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 9:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kerri, what do you mean about Canada3000 being in flux?

Glen, please report back on your experience with this new option. Thanks,

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kerri Freeman on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 9:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie, I hope nothing disruptive, mailed a couple of notices to the boards and you back a bit. Can.3000 has amalgamated with at different times, 2 other airlines. Air Can. is running as a monopoly and a pretty scuzzy one. Can 3000 + Royal Air and 1 other are going to try to cover off each other's routes, and also (altho' I don't think they said so) provide competition. Each will pick up the part of the other's routes that fits best with their goals. Am hoping the Bonaire flight is still going to be covered. No info I've seen yet as to which will do what routes.But they will function as 1, don't know under what name, likely Can 3000.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 12:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Glen I will be there to meet the flight. There will be a party in the arrivals hall and a ceremony to welcome the flight. It is the least I can do for you and the NYT you have so graciously agreed to drag along!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Fox on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 5:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Glen, which flight are you on? I am scheduled to be on the June 2 flight arriving Bonaire at 8:20pm (flt 5643) from San Juan. If you are on this flight, look for me. I'll be the one with the smile on his face!

See you in paradise.......
David

PS for all: Are there any ATM's in Bonaire? I'm trying to figure out how much cash to bring. Thanks

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 5:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

ATMs yes! They dispense both Neth. Antilles guilders as well as US cash.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 5:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

David,

The ATMs are all on the Cirrus network, so that should work for you.

We'll be at the airport Saturday night as well to greet some other friends who are arriving on the inaugural flight too... See you then!

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 9:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I"m bummed because the flights are already sold out for the dates I want mid Feb to mid March for 4 people..I think the resorts have blocks of tickets being held @ the $505. price anybody know how to get one of those ??..we already have accomodations ( dates flexible )

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Fox on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 9:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jake and Linda,

Thanks for the info on the ATM's and let me say that I have found this site to be the best single destination travel site I have ever encountered. The manager at Divi said that there have been a few conflicts with the tourism industry and this site, I can understand this. This site dispenses the good along with the bad and as a travel consumer I can think of nothing better. I want to hear about the warts of a place. It is rare when the good things about a place ruin your vacation, more often it is the things that you don't expect or when ones expectations are unrealistic.

I appreciate the resorts websites, they give you a feel for the place, but beyond that they are fairly uniformative because of the natural bias toward putting their best foot forward. Here I have found nothing but helpful people and solid information. I would never have been on the American Eagle flight had it not been for BonaireTalk. And that is only one example.

I know that you run the site for the love of it and I just wanted to let you know that at least one new person to Bonaire really appreciates your efforts. After Lenny I had pretty much scratched Bonaire off of my list the media reports being what they were. Luckily I found this website. I now have a very realistic sense of what I will find, I am confident in my choice of lodging and diving and maybe even the flight experience will be better. We all owe you guys a lot and I hope that you realize that.

I my perfect world there would be a CozumelTalk, CaymanTalk, and BVITalk. I just thank the stars that there is a BonaireTalk in the dive world. Thanks for all the help, this community has made a newbie feel better in so many ways. Hope to see y'all on Saturday.

David

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 11:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

David,

That is the flight--I hate to say absolutes until on the ground at destination.

Michael,

Hope to see you then.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John M. Smith on Friday, June 1, 2001 - 7:18 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jake and Linda,
I second David's post about this site. As a newbie to Bonaire also ( first trip only 4 weeks away ), I have gathered so much info from the the site and the folks who post here that I almost have information overload ;-) I appreciate all of the comments about the good things and less than good things people have encountered.

John

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Friday, June 1, 2001 - 11:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the praise, guys :-)

Diver Debbi - chances are that the American Eagle flight for next year are not actually sold out, but just blocked by tour operators who have committed to selling those seats.

I'd recommend calling various U.S. tour operators - I believe that at least World Dive (www.worlddive.com) and Caradonna (www.caradonna.com) have seats on American Eagle, and chances are that most other major U.S. tour operators who specialize in Bonaire would too...

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Friday, June 1, 2001 - 9:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Will the tour operators sell air-only? I'm pretty certain they won't have packages to our favorite place (Bonaire Town Homes) because they are such a TINY (but big at heart!) operation.

Actually, I'd LOVE to find a really good fare to get there this summer. I'm really feeling the itch to learn to dive finally, and I'd love to scratch it soon!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor on Saturday, June 2, 2001 - 8:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

most operators will sell air only, but the rate may be a bit more since it is not coupled with ground and commissions from airlines are so small.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Saturday, June 2, 2001 - 10:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'll echo what Michael said - when we were stateside, we found we could almost always talk tour operators into selling us air only (some were more resistant to the idea than others, though).

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI on Sunday, June 3, 2001 - 10:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the heads up on the tour operators..I'll try that tactic and let you know if we succed..Bonaire or Bust !

 


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