By Linda Richter - NetTech on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 4:23 pm: |
A mini-trip report about airline problems.
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By Sarah on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 4:43 pm: |
Linda, how awful for you.. travelling can be a real nightmare sometimes.. I certainly hope that your next trip is much smoother...
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By Glen Reem on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 5:02 pm: |
Not fun. You should post this in the continuing thread 'Reports on AA Eagle flights...' and we can all keep a running total of good/bad. Many have had good trips so far.
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By Scott on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 5:20 pm: |
Jake, Linda... so ALM not so bad after all???? It just shows that the airline industry is not in it for the passengers. I have been delayed 24 -36 hours by ALM before and the service and treatment was much better than you recieved, the Days Inn in MIA they use is not that bad :}and the food is easier on the budget. Basically, on any given day some going some where is going to get the "royal" treatment by an airline be it ALM, AA or any other.
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By Sandra Price on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 9:45 pm: |
Wow, Linda. Sounds exhausting, frustrating and all kinds of other non-PG things. I hope the wedding/trip was nice, at least .....
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By Jared Mattson on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 2:28 am: |
What a terrible trip home...is the real reason there aren't that many people on the island because half are always lost in transit back? By the way, Linda, not sure if your husband mentioned it to you, but....you were volunteered to spend part of an evening "mobile" with the travelling northerners, so we'll buy you a drink of your choice and tell you it's okay.......
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By Kelly on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 8:42 am: |
Okay so I herein banish any thoughts of using A/A (already gave up on Air Jam). ALM will continue to be my airline of choice coming to and leaving Bonaire.
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By Linda Richter - NetTech on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 9:51 am: |
The good news - we did receive our luggage last night as promised. The bad news - my Saturday bought fresh at the airport bagels were moldy and nasty after too many hours in transit in suspect temperatures.
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By DIVER DEBBI on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 10:12 am: |
Because of the unability to make connections without staying overnight...which adds to the cost of a trip...and some of these stories..I think we will also stick with ALM out of Miami to Bonaire. Linda..we'll bring you some bagels ..but you'll have to wait untill Feb...maybe some other visitors will pick up on your desire..is'nt it funny that bagels are hard to get in Bonaire...we resorted to putting a hole in our piece of bread and pretending
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By joe chandler on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 9:38 pm: |
Shhh! We need a threeday quiet period on these bad trip stories. Then I'll be there. Then i won't have to worry. shhh! -chandler
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By Kelly on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 11:06 pm: |
Joe you lowlife !!!! Have a great trip, don't I owe you an Amstel ???
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By Leigh Ann on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 12:51 pm: |
Linda, what kind of bagels do you like? I'll try to pick some up before we leave for Bonaire on Wednesday morning.
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By Linda Richter - NetTech on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 2:10 pm: |
Thanks for the offer but actually I'll be braving AA again on Wednesday morning myself. We're visiting the grandparents in NH so I hope to be munching fresh bagels shortly.
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By Vicki Murt on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 5:52 pm: |
Linda, sounds like a similar story that happened to a couple of folks the weekend of June 16th. The AA flight out of SJU was overbooked (based on weight) and some folks were not allowed to board the plane. They also got caught up in the Curacao - Bonaire pickle with a Monday arrival, and their luggage did not arrive until the following Wednesday!! So much for their vacation (only one week on Bonaire). But there are other "good stories" about AA on the Getting to Bonaire site. AA is in desparate need of putting in appropriate infrastructure on Bonaire, trained personnel, and a local tele number that should be posted with the flight schedules at the airport counter (which was not even listed at the airport as of June 30). It is such a shame that AA has done such a lousy job on the startup of this service to Bonaire. Perhaps we should send AA HQ this web site so that they can see the problems and perhaps get them corrected!
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By joe chandler on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 11:23 pm: |
kelly - Amstel? Would that be the one you left for me at the Green Parrot? I'll lok for it?
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By Glen Reem on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 7:57 am: |
Sounds like a good idea, Vicki. Best in parallel to both AE and AA, since AE does the actual ops. It would help also if on-island people voiced their opinions, especially the tourist industry and TCB.
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By Kelly on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 8:43 am: |
Joe, if you go looking for the Amstel I left at the Green Parrot make sure your have your dive gear on!!!! Shorts, sandals and one of your ugly shirts is not gonna work this trip :-)
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By Linda Richter - NetTech on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:57 am: |
Glen,
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By Rebecca Guarente on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 11:04 am: |
Has anyone stay at the Penhouse at Belmar
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By Glen Reem on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 2:57 pm: |
When I have flown AA, or even when not on AA, I have found that the Admiral's Club counter reps do more, better than the regular counter bears. Just going to the First Class check-in counter for help (which Admiral's can do, and to check-in, of course) gets better service--quicker, too. And somehow seats have been cleared for me at the mention of being an Admiral even though I believe that info is available to the agent when I use the AAdvantage phone number. Another perk-in-practise is to quietly flash you Admiral's card with your boarding pass as the First class,etc., are boarding, with a quiet question if it will allow early boarding. It has always worked for me. The Club personnel say it is not a formal policy, thus the quiet approach. Most of the flight attendants seem to appreciate the courteous approach from a regular passenger. Always better to let some one help you, isn't it? All this must work with the 'VIP' club memberships on other airlines also.
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By Phil Corbin on Monday, July 16, 2001 - 10:12 pm: |
In a classic "bad news, good news" situation, we learned the bad news just prior to departure for Bonaire in 2000........the Belmar had double-booked our accomodations, and our modest suite was not available.
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By Anonymous on Tuesday, July 17, 2001 - 10:25 am: |
Does anyone have any opinion whether I should take the travel insurance for my week long trip? I am traveling via Air Jamaica through Montego Bay. After reading all these horror stories maybe I should take the most complete package. I'm hoping that by packing carry-on, I won't have to deal with lost luggage. Is Air Jamaica really strict about carry-on size?
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By Linda Richter - NetTech on Tuesday, July 17, 2001 - 11:12 am: |
Based on other Talk threads, I'd say AirJamaica is strict. Several people have mentioned only being allowed one carry-on instead of two. So they have had to do some repacking at the airport to move the important stuff to one bag.
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