By James Tate (BonaireTalker - Post #32) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 7:30 pm: |
Before I start let me thank all the kind people who answered my many questions.This was to be our first Trip .It started when I booked my flight in march with Delta only to find they contract two legs of the trip with air Jamaica.I followed BT instructions and bougth booties and force fins. Then I got dive skins.I booked the sanddollar from 6/4 until 6/12.My wife and I were so excited. We drove 2 hours to RDU air port and stayed at a hotel over night since our plane left at 630 AM.I had called Delta and confirmed our flights the night before.When we got to the airport at 445AM we were told that the last part of our trip AJ from Montego Bay to Bonaire was canceled and there were for the next few days at least. There was also no other way to get us there since they could not confirm with excell through aruba.I called sanddollar and they said thats to bad no refunds.Please notice so far My emotions have not come into play, these are the facts.Delta refunded the cost of our tickets,since they could not get us there.Sanddollar made no attempt so far. This is not the peak season if it were I could understand the lost revenue. As it is they will make about $1200 off me for doing nothing. Budget car rental will loose a weeks rental since I called them to cancel.Let those who read this be warned,put yourself in my place.If you really want to take this chance be my guest. As for my wife and I we would just as soon drink gasoline as to even consider going to bonaire. Will make a point of informing everyone we meet of our experience.As for Air Jamaica may the ones responsible for our pain be cursed.
|
By Carol Eddy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #514) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 7:49 pm: |
James, so sorry that you never got to Bonaire -losing your hotel money didn't make it any better. We always buy trip insurance because you just never know what could happen - you could have easily become ill and not been able to make the trip and would have still lost your money. We have always flown out of Norfolk to Atlanta on Delta and relied on them to make the connections with Air Jamaica for us. This was our third year (we went in March) and everything went very smoothly. Air Jamaica did contract with Delta to provide the aircraft and crew for both the Atlanta to Montego Bay and back again routes. We want to go back next year, but can't use our Delta miles to get there unless we go through Aruba . . . still checking that out. Hopefully, one day you will get to experience Bonaire. . . the "getting there" is truly worth it in the end.
|
By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #501) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 8:24 pm: |
I think it's outrageous that Sand Dollar didn't work with you, especially given the AJ circumstances that all of the island knows about.
|
By Denise Kacavas (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1010) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 8:46 pm: |
I can certaily understand your bitterness James. The fact is you did not get sick. I'll bite my tongue as to what you did get. In hindsight insurance woud obviously have been a good investment. But so what now .... I believe Sanddollar should at least offer to give you full credit for use at another time. Under the circumstances they should consider the value of good will. With the loss of AJ the businesses on Bonaire will be adversely effected if reliable alternative transportation does not become available soon, all the more reason for them to make a full effort for customer satisfaction. I understand they can't afford to give back $1200 to every passenger AJ left hanging in the wind. But bad word spreads way toooooo fast.
|
By Denise Kacavas (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1011) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 8:48 pm: |
Maybe Sand Dollar will reconsider if asked again. I believe they have had good reports and a good reputation here on BT in the past.
|
By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #502) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 8:54 pm: |
Denise is right-this does not sound like Sand Dollar. Perhaps some experienced BT people can give some insight-even through a personal e-mail to help James out. Let's put our heads together and see if we can help.
|
By MantyMonty (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 10:03 pm: |
I found this on the Air Jamaica website. It appears the flight 64 did go from MB to Bon today at 11:56am. So did this flight go or not? Maybe I am not reading the schedule right, but it looks like the flight did go today. I hope AJ keeps up their schedules as I find them the best route to go.
|
By James Tate (BonaireTalker - Post #36) on Sunday, June 5, 2005 - 1:53 pm: |
Please let me clear up a few things.First of all I am a teacher and my wife is a nurse our 4 children are grown and were not involved, thank god.Picture yourslef having to explain this to 4 Children .If it were not for you people it would have been a lot worse.By that I mean We took your advice and bought Travel Guard Ins. before the trip but when I first talked to the agent from sanddollar I did not tell him We had insurance to see his reaction. He said no refunds. After I told him I had Insurance And that I would never try this again he suggested Turks & Caicos . He said they were having a lot of these kinds of problems.After reading your posts starting last March we bought tickets through Delta.The problems with AJ seemed to be getting worse and your crime reports were bothering my wife. I called Delta and they assured me they could re route us if necessary.If I could have got the $1406 back then I would have but I was already committed. Plus I had bought new booties and fins and Dive skins.WE do not dive only snorkel I want to be honest about that since you divers may have something there that can't be duplicated in which case please don't listen to me.As for the person who claims my flight was not cancelled The Delta spent 45 minutes with us at 5 in the mourning The Delta # was 8874 the AJ # for this same plane was #66 leaving Montego at 1130 and arriving at 230.The Delta man could only get us to Aruba or curacao not sure of the spelling. He said it was only 47 miles from Bonaire but I would be on my own.Since I didn't get this old being stupid, I did not go for this. Since all options had been explored Delta was forced to refund the $1400 I don't see them doing this if AJ had been flying And I know I did mention he said the AJ flight was cancelled for the next few days.My complaint is mainly with AJ and with Delta for doing business with such an irresponsible "AIR Line "I post this to keep others from feeling the way we do and to thank all of you who kept it from being worse. Just as a friend of mine told me a "liberal is a conservative who hasn't been mugged yet" I hope none of you ever get that feeling.We hope to get back to Cayman next year and use those new fins.It has always been a lucky place for us but then we just snorkel.
|
By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13800) on Sunday, June 5, 2005 - 2:29 pm: |
James, thank you for the more in-depth explanation of the events that occured to you. So you got the refund from Delta, and I'm assuming that you got a refund from Sand Dollar, correct?
|
By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #324) on Sunday, June 5, 2005 - 2:32 pm: |
OK James, don't get me wrong here - arriving at the airport at 5:00 A.M. and being told the last leg of your flight to Bonaire has been cancelled is not good for sure. I don't blame you for not wanting to risk going through Curacao not knowing how you would get to Bonaire from there; however, it seems to me that it would not be Delta's fault that AJ wound up in the all screwed up category. They did offer an alternative and they did refund your money so I don't really see Delta as the culprit here unless there is some poor management on their part that I am just not seeing. I have about 5 years of hotel management expirience in my background so I have mixed feelings about Sand Dollar's reaction. My initial reaction was that it is bogus that they won't refund your money. On the other hand, the cancellation was not done until the day or maybe even the day after your scheduled arrival and I can see why they would hesitate to refund the money with such short notice of cancellation; I mean, they really have no way of knowing if you just changed your mind at the last minute and decided not to go for example. Anyway, the reason I am responding at all is that I am having some difficulty understanding the objective to your multiple posts on Bonaire Talk. Is it to inform (which I am guessing it is) or is it to turn people against Bonaire (which I'm guessing it isn't). I don't mean to offend, but for some reason I find myself trying to understand and guess at your intent behind these posts. Sorry you had such a bad expirience.
|
By MantyMonty (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Sunday, June 5, 2005 - 6:30 pm: |
Traveling is sure an adventure isn't it? Adventure sometimes involves deviation. New booties and all. Live it-enjoy it.
|
By David Bridenbaugh (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 9:58 am: |
I have to admit that Sanddollar sounds like a bad deal. I think that if you can prove your case to them that worst they should do is refund all but a day or so of your money. (That would be fair) As it sounds right now, I am not going to be recommending Sanddollar to anyone. As for trip insurance, I usually get it and that way let the insurance company fight with them. We usually stay at Habitat, I don't know what they would do? Maybe the resorts and Hotels need to come up with a policy and plan that will be fair in view of the volatile Airlines situation.
|
By Deb (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 11:45 am: |
This is EXACTLY what travel insurance is for. It's not Sand Dollar's fault. It's AJ's fault. Yes, a gesture of good will would be great. Credit toward a future trip, some refund perhaps, but what if they have 20 guests on that flight? They lose too.
|
By Mary DiSanza - Sand Dollar Resort (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 12:55 pm: |
Good morning, Mr. Tate.
|
By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #326) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 1:08 pm: |
If Mary is referring to the AJ Flight from Montego Bay then it appears MantyMonty is correct in his Post #1 above. Maybe Delta lied to James or gave him bad information? Lets hope so because if they didn't, James' story no longer holds a whole lot of water.
|
By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2686) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 2:22 pm: |
Oh no... horrible news for Mr. Tate... if the AJ flight WASN'T cancelled and he was told that it was...all those other people showed up in Bonaire. Wow what a huge disappointment that would be.
|
By Ken (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #192) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 3:07 pm: |
that flight was not cancelled. Friends of ours departed bonaire on the Sat. AJ flight.
|
By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2690) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 3:54 pm: |
Okay so what gives? Anyone have the story?
|
By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #507) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 3:59 pm: |
I'd be interested as well.
|
By Wally and Eva (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #818) on Monday, June 6, 2005 - 7:19 pm: |
Sounds like Delta gave bad info and screwed up these folks vacation.
|
By James Tate (BonaireTalker - Post #42) on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 9:26 am: |
Please see my new trip post for update.
|
By Dake Madray (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 1:10 pm: |
To all - my wife and I arrived on the AJ flight in question on Sunday departing MBJ at approximately 12:30 (there was 30 min delay). However, now that we're here, we are encountering the problem James faced upon his expected departure: Is there the same return flight on Sun Jun 12 from BON-MBJ-ATL?
|
By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1811) on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 1:32 pm: |
I think the best solution is to deal directly with Air Jamaica (JM). DL has a code share but is not as we see abreast of all JM flights.
|
By Carole B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4969) on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 3:47 pm: |
Hi, Kids! We are still on Bonaire. Our AJ trip down from EWR on May 28 was perfection...early arrival into MB and on time into Bonaire. No hassles at all.
|
By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2701) on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 3:53 pm: |
Dake, you are much better being stuck there.
|
By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1812) on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 3:55 pm: |
Exactly Carole, since JM does NOT fly to Aruba why strand people there..indeed sounds like a rumor..
|
Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites