Miami Layover

[markmud]

...once this trip is over they go on the no fly list along with United.

Which airline are you going to fly? They are all doing it. This is an industry wide issue. UAL just announced an order for 200 B737 aircraft and 70 A321 AC. They don't have the pilots, the ticket agents, the baggage handlers, and the transport capability. The boomers have all exited the workforce. Millennials don't' want to do real work (not all, but most). This problem has been coming for a long time, and the pandemic made the few remaining boomers retire; it was the last straw.

Good luck! And one more thing, don't expect cheap fares in the near future. Fairs are only going up. Some friends said that fares to Curacao are pricey. Well, you won't be going to Curacao will you! The way it was is not the way it is!

I hope everything goes well for you. I hate to think you will be on Bonaire without your diving gear.

I think the computer systems that keep track of the bags are better now, then even a decade ago. When we were on the tarmac with a 97% full plane for Curacao, the tug would not push-back. It was hooked-up because the flight crew said it was and I felt it when they hooked it up to the nose gear. The ground crew was waiting on the tarmac with their wands in hand. A baggage cart with Cathy's dive bag and my dive bag, along with two other bags arrived. They loaded the cargo, closed the cargo door, and we pushed back. I think the baggage computer put a hold on the AC's departure to allow all cargo to get aboard. Baggage control is better now.

Again, I wish you luck,
m

 

[JD']

Which airline are you going to fly? They are all doing it. This is an industry wide issue. UAL just announced an order for 200 B737 aircraft and 70 A321 AC. They don't have the pilots, the ticket agents, the baggage handlers, and the transport capability. The boomers have all exited the workforce. Millennials don't' want to do real work (not all, but most). This problem has been coming for a long time, and the pandemic made the few remaining boomers retire; it was the last straw.

Good luck! And one more thing, don't expect cheap fares in the near future. Fairs are only going up. Some friends said that fares to Curacao are pricey. Well, you won't be going to Curacao will you! The way it was is not the way it is!

I hope everything goes well for you. I hate to think you will be on Bonaire without your diving gear.

I think the computer systems that keep track of the bags are better now, then even a decade ago. When we were on the tarmac with a 97% full plane for Curacao, the tug would not push-back. It was hooked-up because the flight crew said it was and I felt it when they hooked it up to the nose gear. The ground crew was waiting on the tarmac with their wands in hand. A baggage cart with Cathy's dive bag and my dive bag, along with two other bags arrived. They loaded the cargo, closed the cargo door, and we pushed back. I think the baggage computer put a hold on the AC's departure to allow all cargo to get aboard. Baggage control is better now.

Again, I wish you luck,
m

We are currently signed up with American. Unless they will do a refund, I am scheduled to have them call me tomorrow, wait time was 4 hrs. At this point I am willing to pay extra to fly with Delta if American will refund, it seems they are making Wednesday Flights in December. We had originally booked with American because everyone else was only flying weekends which meant either going for two weeks or a very short amount of island time. Two weeks was just too expensive. By flying in on Wednesday and out Saturday we get 10 island days.

 

[morecowbells]

Long story short; on our last Bonaire vacation, I had an hour layover in ALT with Delta. The skybridge was malfunctioning delaying exiting the aircraft. We arrived to our gate 15 minutes before departure. They gave away our seats. The next flight was 3 days later. We had to fly (a different airline) to Dallas, then to MIA, then to Aruba, stay overnight and fly into Bonaire the next day. When things could not possibly suck any worse, our luggage didn't make it out until the 3rd day. Never again will I book a vacation without a viable plan B. My advise would be to stay in MIA the night before or if you decide to accept the 60 minute layover, make sure there is another flight that day or the following day. Sorry about the airlines making you wait four hours. Crazy!

 

[JD']

Long story short; on our last Bonaire vacation, I had an hour layover in ALT with Delta. The skybridge was malfunctioning delaying exiting the aircraft. We arrived to our gate 15 minutes before departure. They gave away our seats. The next flight was 3 days later. We had to fly (a different airline) to Dallas, then to MIA, then to Aruba, stay overnight and fly into Bonaire the next day. When things could not possibly suck any worse, our luggage didn't make it out until the 3rd day. Never again will I book a vacation without a viable plan B. My advise would be to stay in MIA the night before or if you decide to accept the 60 minute layover, make sure there is another flight that day or the following day. Sorry about the airlines making you wait four hours. Crazy!

That is a very good point I never considered them giving our seats away. I am going to see if they will refund the entire trip, the flights are broken up now due to the BS way they will not mix international and domestic flights with flight credits (the same credits that came from the same flights) so I do not know if they will refund the MIA to BON leg or just the RIC to MIA. At that point Delta has a flight the same days with a nice 2 hr layover. Otherwise its another day off work to fly to MIA in the AM the day before instead of the evening unless I want to take 5.5 hr trip thru Charlotte and arrive at 2 am American Airlines is just awful to work with. Spirit flies direct to Fort Lauderdal, I suppose we could find transport from there to MIA.

 

[JD']

American Airlines cancelled all flights and provided a full refund. Finally reached someone that was actually doing their job. There was a small loophole that allowed this because they switched us from a direct flight to a flight with one stop they apparently allow you to get a refund. The representative also stated that if the flight changes the arrival by more than 4 hours that also qualifies.
We are now booked with Delta with a 2 hr layover for the days we wanted and for only $100 more which is covered by the Motel we are able to now cancel in MIA.