Bonaire Trip Disaster!

[NightRaven77]

I figured I share my disaster going on here in Bonaire...

First..

The trip started in Pittsburgh July 16th....then to spend a day in Puerto Rico..and on that following Sunday we would leave Puerto Rico and go to Bonaire. The flight in Pittsburgh was delayed 4 hours since all flights to Philly were grounded due to fog so we spent 2 hours in the plane 100 yards from the gate we left from...so from the start things were not going so great.....We stayed at the Raddisson Ambassador Resort and Casino in Puerto Rico...which I had no complaints.....got kicked out of the casino because I didnt have proper foot attire..I had flip flops on...wish they would of told me that earlier before I lost about $300 at the tables....oh well...

Flight from Puerto Rico to Bonaire began the hell...so let me set up the story....

I had 3 bags....my gear and clothes bag...my camera equipment case...and my laptop bag....only 2 can be checked luggage and 1 a carry on....

Ok....I took the laptop as my carry on and checked my Pelican Case full of camera equipment and the rest of my dive gear...

Can you see where this is going yet?

We get to Bonaire around 8pm Sunday night.....

My gear bag with my clothes and the Pelican case full of the camera stuff didnt make it...so now Im pissed...Im here in a diving mecca...and the stuff I want to dive with isnt with me....not to mention that there were about 10 other people that didnt get their bags either....so we were all screwed..

I cant stand renting equipment....I keep my stuff serviced and in dam near perfect condition....kind of a complex I have....all in all...we did anyway....Bonaire Dive and Adventure has been great in getting anything we needed...

The American Airlines rep says.....the next flight coming in will be on Tuesday July 19th.....2 days later....mind you ...with my gear and clothes..and the camera stuff...all of which I just bought last month....

Ok...just an update....I had this happen to me 2 years ago leaving Bonaire...and my diving gear didnt make it back to me for 5 days.....thanks to American Airlines...I used the travel voucher that was given to me for that debacle to buy this flight....so lightning struck twice...

Any....Tuesday July 19th...

Flight comes in....bags are there....I check it immeadiatly....and you guessed it....camera equipment and some gear...gone!! You can tell the bags were rifled through...all zippers open....rechargable batteries and chargers gone....my buddies divelight and dive computer gone....so now Im furious....we leave on Saturday and the stuff we have been waiting for is gone...

American Airlines made room for our bags on the July 19th flight....and screwed some other passengers coming in on that flight....so every flight coming from Puerto Rico will have about 10-15 people I would guess without bags..there was about 10 people immeadiately after in line at the american airlines counter complaining about missing luggage....they are so far behind in getting everyone their bags that they will never get caught up until they make a seperate charter to get missing bags to Bonaire quicker...it will be a never ending process until someone steps in and realizes what is going on.....

Ok...they give us the paperwork....yada yada ya...daily allowance...yada yada yada...

Did some diving.....but the hassle is insane....filling out the paperwork...contacting American Airlines all the time....a major trip interrupption....I just dont feel good and stress free like I should have....I feel robbed of my vacation...I have only been able to dive 6 times since we got here....because we had to schedule evertyhing around the phone calls...paper work...etc...Not to mention that American Airllines did nothing to communicate to us what is going on...so Im completely done with them...period!:mooner:

So what have I learned....??

Equipment insurance for starters....I just got the stuff last month...and didnt have as much time as I would of liked prior to leaving...next time I will for sure....

Stupid me for checking in Camera equipment....kinda didnt have a choice...it was either my laptop...or the camera equipment....so part of this was my fault....I should of bought TSA approved locks....Next time I will check questionable carry on bags at the gate ...at least I know its on that flight.....I will also jam as much as I can in my laptop to case like my dive computer and reg if I can.....

Hindsight is always 20/20

What would of been nice is if American Airlines would of told my my stuff wasnt leaving Puerto Rico...I would of stayed there instead...but they didnt.....so there is some arguing that will happen....:lol:

I have started Itemizing what Im missing and am already at $1500...my buddy has already exceed that alone with his dive computer missing....

American Airlines policy shows that they are not liable for any photo equipment....which is BS......but they should be liable for the securtiy of your belonings when the baggage doesnt make the inital flight....

I also heard from the American Airlines Rep that just a few weeks ago another diver had over $6000 in camera equipment missing as well....coming from 'Puerto Rico as well.....hmmm....think they have a bit of an internal problem going on???? I would be intrested to here how he did on claiming his stuff missing....

I will update you all when I return......after all...I have to leave here....and Im curious how its going to be handled....Last time we were routed through Curacao because the flight was overweight to Puerto Rico....

Oh well....to be continued!

NR77

 

[herman]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Now you know why I will not fly AA to Bonaire.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

sheesh...

your story is like a comprehensive advertisement for insurance:

Trip Insurance,
Gear Insurance,
Adding an all-risk rider to a Homeowners Insurance policy,
etc. etc.

I've also noticed that photogs ship expensive gear inside Pelican or Otter cases that provide for padlocks to be used. Have to arrange it with the point-of-origin-airport TSA folks, but after they inspect your luggage you can arrange to padlock it. People who travel with handguns do this, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to arrange it.

Sorry you had so much trouble on your trip...

 

[mikerault]

I suggest getting a Sony Photovault and worrying about editing the pictures once you are home. I just tried one out on a recent trip and it worked great. I was able to dump the cameras to the photovault (it is about a 3X3X2 inch device that cuts mini-cds to store the pictures) after each dive and clear the chips for the next run. Using that I eliminated my laptop and was able to get all my photo gear into a large halliburton aluminum briefcase (2 digitals, digital case, a Nikonos IV and two strobes and brackets as well as the photovault.) In my second carry-on I carried my wifes and my regulators and my backup dive computer (hers is on the console) my primary is my Citizen Aqualand NX which I wore on my wrist.

Usually the airlines allow one carry-on (IE the big roll-ons and such) and one personal such as a briefcase, computer case or other.

I packed the BCDs, fins, masks, etc in a TSA approved lockable samsonite hardshell (of course when we got there and discovered we had left the keys for the hardshells home...but that is another story including of course the random search picked us for customs search...)

Everything got there (with a plane switch in Chicago) and back again no problems.

Of course if you have one of those huge cameras and cases that look like a mini-submarine with multiple arms, the above won't work very well.

Mike

 

[NadMat]

sorry to hear about your problems, I to look to avoid AA after some of the 'service' I have recieved from them. You can get TSA approved locks for luggage and equipment cases, I did before last trip to Coz' but upon arrival in Coz found they had unlocked to check luggage and relocked lock on only one side of locking point so that bag was open from then on I was lucky in that I had only clothes, dive knife, pocket knife and nail clippers in check in luggage, and all were left alone. I never put my gear in any case that screams 'expensive gear, steal me', and if I were unable to get into carryon, I think I would consider shipping it separately to dive shop in large equipment case. I have a buddy whos photo equipment plus gear outgrew the ability to carryon and he has gone to this method with great success, shipping it to dive shop he has scheduled with and usually getting confirmation that it is at shop before he gets on plane to leave. My gear fits just barely in a hardshell carryon if I leave out wetsuit and pack it 'just so' so I have not had to go that route yet, but if I move up into real camera equipment I may have to try it.

 

[Damselfish]

I just chose a few days ago between frequent flier seats on AA to Curacao (on a jet through Miami) and Bonaire (on the turboprop through San Juan.) So I'm going to Curacao, I figure my odds are better. Not that Miami is any prize.

 

[cerich]

TSA locks??? Why it is usually the TSA emplyees that are stealing the gear. I never put any locks on my gear, makes them less likely to look for the valuables the locks are protecting.

 

[DeputyDan]

TSA locks??? Why it is usually the TSA emplyees that are stealing the gear. I never put any locks on my gear, makes them less likely to look for the valuables the locks are protecting.

Here Here - I agree.

 

[Web Monkey]

TSA locks??? Why it is usually the TSA emplyees that are stealing the gear. I never put any locks on my gear, makes them less likely to look for the valuables the locks are protecting.

I always carry on mask, regs, computer and camera, and make sure my checked gear bag only contains damp smelly stuff (wetsuit/fins/BC).

Theives don't want damp stinky items. They're harder to sell.

Even if they do get stolen, the wetsuit, fins and BC are easily replacable anyplace that has diving.

Terry

 

[sasscuba]

I work for AA and avoid the SJU to BON route whenever possible. It has always been a nightmare and I often just buy a full fare ticket on someone else....SJU and MIA are the 2 worst airports to fly out of!