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Getting to Bonaire: Travel Questions for SJU Layover
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2002-01-01 to 2002-10-27: Travel Questions for SJU Layover
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Shelly Rushmeyer on Sunday, February 10, 2002 - 6:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Reading this great msg board has made me think of a few ?'s regarding travel that some of you frequent BON visitors may know...

1) On our way home (March 13), we have a 6 hour layover in SJU. Has anyone taken a taxi and done anything fun in SJ. We have two kids (6 & 2), so the idea of hangin' at the airport for six hours... Any concerns?

2.) We leave at 7 a.m. on the return flight; what's the recommended time we need to be at the airport? Might be worth switching to that new 9 a.m. flight and catching a few extra zzzz's.

p.s. We're flying AA.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Taft on Sunday, February 10, 2002 - 8:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We have experienced the long SJU before and have enjoyed taking a taxi to the beach or to Old San Juan (though Old SJ's charm and walking may not be ideal for a 2 year old!). Inside the airport there are kiosks that will arrange your ground transportation and make sure that you are not overcharged. We have taken a cab to the beach at Isla Verde and really enjoyed ourselves. You can rent beach chairs from vendors and find places for lunch. We usually try to have lunch at one of the beach restaurants that has restroom facilities instead of a vendor so that we can use the facilities to change into swimsuits. Spending the day on the beach sure beats spending it in the airport. And the crowds will make you even more glad that you were in peaceful Bonaire! Before Sept 11 there was a place in SJ airport near the AA ticket counters whre you could check your carryons for a small fee -- don't know if it is still there. Would love to know if you decide to switch to the 9am as we are scheduled for the 7am in April and are thinking of doing the same!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By C Poteet on Monday, February 11, 2002 - 12:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Shelly y Susan -

We departed Bonaire on the AE 7:00am flight on 24 January.

Based on that day's experience with a plane about half-full, I would suggest being at the airport by 6 am.

We stayed at the Plaza and without going into a long story, the hotel implied we had to be at the airport by 4 am or shortly thereafter. We and one white cat and two very bored security guards were at the airport at 4:15 am.

About 5 am the American Eagle folks showed up. And the restaurant did open at 6 am that day, as did the departure tax window.

But I will say that of all our security checks (DFW-SJU-BON), Bonaire was by far the most complete. They opened every single bag and went through them in detail. Very courteous, but very thorough.

Having said all that, if you could get on the 9 am AE flight and still make your connections "upstream," do it!

Hope this helps.

Chas.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Shelly Rushmeyer on Monday, February 11, 2002 - 5:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the comments. Susan, I'm glad to hear someone else did what we're considering... and it was a good experience! Another bonus is it will tire the kids out for the longest leg of the trip (SJU to O'Hare)!! That alone is worth the effort! Isla Verde sounds like a good bet.

Chas, thanks for saving me an extra hour or two of sleep! 4:15 a.m....egads! Shell

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Taft on Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 2:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Shelly -- I think that the cab to Isla Verde was 8 dollars one way last April.

Chas -- thanks for the 6am tip. When on an island we have always found it was fine to arrive 45 min to one hour before departure as no one is ever around for check in but was wondering with new security measures. Eases my mind for April!

Susan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 - 10:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I've been told that AA has been overbooking the flight to SJ and that people arriving at 6 am for the 7 am flight have been denied boarding (and told they're too late and it's their problem, not the airline bumping them!!!).

A very nice and knowledgeable employee at the airport told me that it's unsafe to arrive later than 5:15 or 5:30, or you might not get on. I know two people who departed recently with no problems (one arrived at the airport at 4:50 and one at 5:20) and in both cases they plane wasn't full. I'm leaving next Thursday, and I'm planning to be at the airport at 5 am, will get the baggage checked and check in, then walk over to Donkey's Beach to eat my breakfast there (a PBJ sandwich!)

 


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