Just want to vent...

[mixplix]

Booked on AOS from San Juan 3/31-4/7. Supposed to stop at St. Maarten and ABC's. Had a tough time finding flights that worked, but manged to book trip down on Friday before on Delta and a 430 pm direct flight back on Saturday on SW.

 

Got a call last night that SW changed my flight - from 430 pm direct - to 10 am to FLL, with a 4 hour layover. I am a huge worry wart and would not risk a 10 am flight upon returning from a cruise - I just dont want the stress of will we be delayed, customs, disembarking, etc. I know some do it, but I dont need that stress.

 

Because of huge change in times, figured they might refund flights, but checked around and, other than 343 am flight Sunday morning on Jet Blue (For the reasonable price of $157), all other one ways were way more than i had paid for SW. I found a 130 pm on SW, getting in after a long layover at 1125 pm. So we took that.

 

I know airlines change flights all the time, but why eliminate a non-stop to NY? And none were available on Sunday either. so frustrating...

 

that's it...

[BethV114]

I have no words of wisdom to share. I will just say that I can understand why you are so frustrated, but hope you are able to enjoy your vacation, anyway!

[BillOh]

I too appreciate the problem. I just hope SW does something similar to us;) The only flight we could get is 6pm and we won't be home till after midnight.

[SnorkelBoy]

Booked on AOS from San Juan 3/31-4/7. Supposed to stop at St. Maarten and ABC's. Had a tough time finding flights that worked, but manged to book trip down on Friday before on Delta and a 430 pm direct flight back on Saturday on SW.

 

Got a call last night that SW changed my flight - from 430 pm direct - to 10 am to FLL, with a 4 hour layover. I am a huge worry wart and would not risk a 10 am flight upon returning from a cruise - I just dont want the stress of will we be delayed, customs, disembarking, etc. I know some do it, but I dont need that stress.

 

Because of huge change in times, figured they might refund flights, but checked around and, other than 343 am flight Sunday morning on Jet Blue (For the reasonable price of $157), all other one ways were way more than i had paid for SW. I found a 130 pm on SW, getting in after a long layover at 1125 pm. So we took that.

 

I know airlines change flights all the time, but why eliminate a non-stop to NY? And none were available on Sunday either. so frustrating...

 

that's it...

 

It looks to me like the FLL leg is at 1:30 pm but there is a 10 am to Orlando with what appears to be a shorter layover not knowing your exact final destination. If an airline changes your flight significantly you don't have to take what they offer if another option even if more expensive flight fits your schedule better; but only on that airline.

[sanger727]

That’s really annoying. We just got southwest service in Cincinnati so haven’t flown with them yet. We usually fly delta, and though they are more expensive, when they switch flight routes like that, I’ve never had it change by more than an hour or two. A 7 hour change is ridiculous.

 

 

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[mixplix]

snorkel boy - they put me on the 10 am first - its just too close for comfort for me. I dont want to risk delays off the boat and missing the 10 am flight. We live in NJ, so any NYC airport works for return.

[nelblu]

Unless, there are delays in arriving at port, you should have no problem making the 10am flight out of San Juan. The ship usually docks prior to 6am and if you self disembark, you should be off by 7am. There are plenty of taxis, and ride to airport is approximately 15 minutes.

[mixplix]

i know it should - but i read stories on hear regularly about late arrivals, medical emergencies, customs issues, etc - if anything screws up, then i am scrambling to rebook 4 of us...

[JMG]

We had a similar thing happen to us with Frontier Airlines. Had an 11am flight booked from Miami to Philly and they changed the flight time to 7am....ahhh...we would not even be off the ship at that time! Totally cannot understand what they were thinking when they have to know that many passengers would be coming from the various cruise lines.

 

We did get a full refund and had to book another airline...which by that time...cost us more $$$!

[bouhunter]

I wouldn't want a 10:00AM departure either, though in most instances it would be OK.

 

Have seen those EARLY departures from SJU before, always surprised me to see something leaving there at 3 or 4 in the morning.

[mixplix]

if it was just my wife and I, i might have considered the 343 am departure - check the bags through, hang out on beach, have a dinner, whatever. But with two kids (my 14 year old was saying do it, do it!), no way. and if you have to get a hotel for the day, there's any extra up charge too.

[nelblu]

if it was just my wife and I, i might have considered the 343 am departure - check the bags through, hang out on beach, have a dinner, whatever. But with two kids (my 14 year old was saying do it, do it!), no way. and if you have to get a hotel for the day, there's any extra up charge too.

 

Check into a beach day pass at hotels.

[jsf]

Back in the early 1990's we often cruised out of SJ and back then there were never any flights out of SJU before 4 PM. We always thought they did that to keep everyone around to spend more money in PR. It used to be that American Airlines had the most flights out but now it's all about the money.

Good Luck,

J.

[island lady]

I booked the safe route with a 5 pm flight out of San Juan on Jet Blue, but not happy with having to sit at the airport waiting approximately eight hours our 3 hour flight into Orlando. :( Will be getting to know the airport well :rolleyes:...not sure about any post cruise excursions around PR that would still be up and running with the hurricane damage.

 

Think I would rather have had that early 10 am flight. :o

[jsf]

I booked the safe route with a 5 pm flight out of San Juan on Jet Blue, but not happy with having to sit at the airport waiting approximately eight hours our 3 hour flight into Orlando. :( Will be getting to know the airport well :rolleyes:...not sure about any post cruise excursions around PR that would still be up and running with the hurricane damage.

 

Think I would rather have had that early 10 am flight. :o

 

 

We had to sit all day one year with no air condioning at the airport, not fun

J.

[Desert Cruizers]

Living in Calif, for now have eliminated a cruise from San Juan because of flights. I could get a direct to JFK then down to SJ, but coming home it would be 2 stops, and would be around midnight before I got home. I would need to stay one night post cruise and leave in the morning.

[sjmbruce]

We're on the same cruise. Right now we have a hotel booked Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Old San Juan. I'm wary of booking flights now in case our hotel cancels on us, but I'm also worried about waiting too long to book flights. Ugh.

[mollyeilis]

We had a similar thing happen to us with Frontier Airlines. Had an 11am flight booked from Miami to Philly and they changed the flight time to 7am....ahhh...we would not even be off the ship at that time! Totally cannot understand what they were thinking when they have to know that many passengers would be coming from the various cruise lines.

 

 

 

The computers aren’t honking anything. They see a flight is cancelled and they book a different flight. No thinking involved.

 

That’s why we have to check our flights and do the thinking for them, if it’s cancelled and we need something different (from what they’ve chosen) booked.

 

I booked the safe route with a 5 pm flight out of San Juan on Jet Blue, but not happy with having to sit at the airport waiting approximately eight hours our 3 hour flight into Orlando. :( Will be getting to know the airport well :rolleyes:...not sure about any post cruise excursions around PR that would still be up and running with the hurricane damage.

 

 

 

Think I would rather have had that early 10 am flight. :o

 

 

There are excursions. Could take a cab to borrachina (? The pina colada place in OSJ), stash bags there, and have a nice OSJ day. Or go to resort for a day dot com and buy a day pass at the stellaris (it’s up and running for day passes). Etc.

[island lady]

We had to sit all day one year with no air condioning at the airport, not fun

J.

 

And things start to stink also! Such fun to climb onto the plane with those "overly close and friendly" seats like that too. :eek:;p

[island lady]

 

There are excursions. Could take a cab to borrachina (? The pina colada place in OSJ), stash bags there, and have a nice OSJ day. Or go to resort for a day dot com and buy a day pass at the stellaris (it’s up and running for day passes). Etc.

 

Thanks, I still need to check into my options...or just deal with it and hang at the airport to be on the safe side. Not sure what to do yet.