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Getting to Bonaire: Enough connection time in SJ?
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2002-01-01 to 2002-10-27: Enough connection time in SJ?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Monday, January 7, 2002 - 8:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We just got a new schedule from our travel agent for our 2/5 trip ROC-ORD-SJ-BON. Now have less than 50 minutes connection time in SJ. That doesn't sound good!!

Any thoughts from those of you who've travelled this route? Perhaps I should give AA a call anyway?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Monday, January 7, 2002 - 9:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie, my only worry is what if the ROC flight leaves late (snow) or the ORD flight is late (snow again). You have reason to be concerned but since there is only one flight to BON what can you do? Would you prefer to overnight in SJU on the 4th? Call your travel agent. If it weren't so darn crazy at the airports now and not the peak of winter I would say 50 min is close but ok.

Annie
Cape Cod

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Monday, January 7, 2002 - 9:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

OOPS, I just looked again, and I have an hour and 47 minutes. Hopefully it'll be enough. You know, unless we have a MAJOR storm, Rochester is pretty good in the winter. Of course, we can't control that "lake effect" stuff. When Buffalo had 7 feet of snow, we had nothing.... (just 60 miles away, but a world of difference!)

Guess I'll just relax and assume it's all going to turn out OK.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Monday, January 7, 2002 - 9:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

OK, I just looked at the return flight --- we have over five hours in SJ. Any suggestions on what to do (other than crossword puzzles at the airport!)?

Can we get to Old San Juan for a walk around? Go to a beach? Get an early lunch (we leave SJ at 2:37 pm)? Open to suggestions. It's a long day, and less time at the airport would probably make it easier on us (we leave BON at 7 am and arrive back in ROC at 11:15 pm).

Open to suggestions from SJ-experienced travellers.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Tuesday, January 8, 2002 - 5:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You could take a cab to Old San Juan - nice area to walk around in. Just make sure to go light on your carry ons as there is no place to leave them at the airport (for security reasons).

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Taft on Wednesday, January 9, 2002 - 6:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Our trips to the Caribbean have often included long layovers in SJ. There are several booths in the airport that will set up your ground transportation thus giving you an idea of exact price before you venture out. We have taken a cab to Old San Juan and have also taken a cab to the beach at Isla Verde. Once at the beach you can rent beach chairs or visit one of the restaurants right on the beach. Remember to leave enough time to get back through security once you return to SJ airport. Question for Jake -- is it new that there is nowhere to leave carryons in SJ? As of last April we were leaving ours at a bag check on the upper level near American Airlines for $1.50 per bag. With recent events I would not be surprised if this is closed.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Wednesday, January 9, 2002 - 8:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'd love to get out, but that might be difficult if we can't leave the carryons somewhere, as we put all the really "important" stuff in carryon bags.

I'm assuming Jake's info is recent as you're a regular through SJ??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jan Klos on Wednesday, January 9, 2002 - 9:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Josie,
Couldn't you have you done Air Jamaica out of N.Y.- Made my reservations in July out of Boston (because I didn't want to use 2 entire days for traveling going thu SJU plus that 7am flight on the way home-- yuk) and that was before AA started flying the Aruba connection. Was glad to hear that they startd it as I would use my AA miles for 2003. Who knows maybe AA will change their minds again. Sure hope so-- but getting to Bonaire without a challange might not make the trip as enjoyable.
Only 60 miles to Buffalo------ and no snow---- I remember the blizzard of 78 and that was only
3 1/2 feet-- anyone out there from Buffalo?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 12:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

used to live in Buffalo...now in Vermont where the snow is civilized..except I don't ski.. I scuba dive how ironic is that ? went home to Buffalo during that big storm in 78...thruway closed down in Rochester and had to wait 2 days for it to open up and go into the city to get my dad..saw snow drifts up to the top of telephone poles...people in Bonaire have no idea do they ? ahhh paradise

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 12:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The bag check I'm referring to is self-service lockers - every airport I've been at in the last few months has had those blocked. Not sure if this applies to human-based bag checks. Better safe than sorry though - it would not surprise me that the new world approach to airport security would prohibit those.

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 4:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jan, Rochester is 400 miles from New York City, and our first flight in the morning to any of the airports won't get us there in time for the AJ departure (this actually applies to all AJ departure cities!), so we couldn't do the trip in one day with AJ (both directions).

That's just too much of a pain, so we settle for a lo oonngg day and sometimes some ugly schedules to be able to complete the trip (hopefully, of course) in one day. The AA schedule also at least keeps us with one airline which I felt important in view of all the changes we're seeing.

Actually, as I think more clearly, I recall that this will be the RETURN, so I can check all the bags through to Rochester. I'll be alone as Alan will be returning a week or so earlier, but I'm comfortable exploring by myself, and presume I'll be safe alone.

Having just returned from London, I'm not at all looking to another long journey in less than a month, but know it's worth it.

 


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