We are booked thru AA to leave in late March and return early/mid April.

Flights were very good, until AA issued a change. Now on our return they canceled our last leg of the flight from ORD to home. Now we are to spend the night at ORD.

Spending the night at ORD is not acceptable, as we leave BON at 7:00 in the morning and get to ORD at around 9:00 at night as it is.

Anyone know if the airline should help pay for night stay, or if there is any good method of dealing with AA?. Tickets are E tickets so no travel agent.

The only thing I can think of is to try to have tickets changed once we are in Bonaire. This has worked in the past for other similar, but different situations. Risk is that it will not work, and it will be too late to deal with it.

It should be noted that if we knew an overnight stay at ORD was requried we would have driven there. No we are stuck with our car somewhere else.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or help.

Dave

Dave ... on two recent trips with AA they made major changes to our schedule. We were able to get satisfactory results through persistance and politeness. When you first call their 800 number you get recordings but try to get to an agent as fast as the system allows. State what you were supposed to have and what the change was and then let them know that this no longer meets your needs and you would like them to help you out to get something as close as possible to your original plans. If the agent cannot help ask to speak to a supervisor and go through the whole thing again. I assume they have booked your last leg for the next day which may in fact meet their obligation but they may at least pay for your lodging if you try. Good luck and let us know what happens!
Susan

Dave,

If the tickets you hold in your hand show a different destination than ORD, then since those tickets are paid for, AA is legally obligated to deliver you to that destination however possible (although they may deny it). Definitely follow Susan's advice and escalate the issue until you talk to someone that can resolve it.

Jake

Thanks.

I will follow up with AA.

Susan, Yes the issue is that the flight out of ORD is the next day. So close to home yet not home. It is a 25 minute (flying time) flight over Lake Michigan.

Jake, for what ever it is worth, I do not actually have paper tickets in hand as they are E tickets. However, I do have the receipt w/ intinerary and they are paid for. So I think it is the same as paper tickets.

Thanks

Dave

By the way, when you call AA's system and the voice prompts ask you questions, clearly speak the word "AGENT". It may take a few tries, but the system does get the hint and routes your call without the 20 questions game.

They have some of the prompts actually tell you this now. When they first fired up that system, you just had to know (from hearing from someone else) that it was the magic word.

dave ... it does not matter if your tickets are etickets or paper --- you paid for them! And Daniel is right -- get past my computer friend by saying the word "agent" as clearly and as often as you can. Good luck! Susan

Does anyone know if American Eagle flies between Aruba and Bonaire? I'm trying to use frequent flier miles to round trip from Dallas to Bonaire this summer. Last year the inbound connection was no problem with AA to San Juan, then the Eagle to Bon. Going home was also uneventful, but the 6AM Am Eagle flight out of Bon required check in at 4AM. Now, don't get me wrong...I'm a morning person...but that's a tough way to end a relaxing vacation. I wouldn't mind using the same inbound arrangements, but would like to change the home flight. If the Eagle goes to Aruba, then an overnight in Aruba would not kill me either...still seeing ocean and sand.
It's been awhile since I checked in on this chat site...let me know if this has been addressed. If so, I apologize.

Jan

Sorry, unless it's changed recently, American Eagle only flies from Bonaire to San Juan. That early am flight it a bi..ch, but we have no choice either, because of where we live.

Still, it's all worth it to have time in BON.

How about using FF miles to Curacao and then Divi Divi to Bonaire??? An $85 RT price is mentioned on the DCA thread below.

Any suggestions on how I get info on Divi Divi flight schedules and reservations? Is this a real airplane or does it require flapping of arms?
My other option might be AA/AE through San Juan on the inbound and use the ferry to CUR and AA out to MIA/DFW. Does anyone know the timetable for the ferry?
Jan

Jan, I asked for details at Divi Divi's desk at the airport when we were there over Christmas, here's what I found out:
baibini.com will give you some info.
Their schedule at the time was Cur to Bon at 6:40, 8:00, 9:30,11:00,12:30,14:00, 15:30 and 17:00.
Bon to Cur was 7:15, 8:45, 10:15, 11:45,13:15, 14:45,16:15 and 17:45.
They were very helpful. Price at the time was $185 guilder return, including taxes.
Hope this gives you a start,
JIll

I was just charged US$91 for a R/T ticket on Divi Divi...

Jake

Ok, back to where this thread started.

Thanks for all the advice. However, my wife came up with the easiest solution. Why don't you just go down to the local airport(AZO) and talk to the AA desk. Since it is a small airport and I drive by it twice a week or more, I did just that.

No one in line but me. The very courtious AA rep. solved my problem in less than ten minutes. He changed our flight from SJ to ORD, and re-issued an itinerary. We now can make the trip home in one day. Leave BON at 6:00 am arrive GRR at about 8:30 PM.

So my advice, to others is; If you have the ability to do so, go talk to an airline rep. in person. Be friendly, and thankful. You might be surprised.

P.S. it did cost $.75 for the 20 minutes I was parked in short term parking.

Dave