I know I have been a tad lax in posting pics in my trip thread but I didn't want to hijack it with this....I will try (with difficulty) to be concise but it probably will be a short story)}
Booked with AA PVD-CLT-SXM.....SXM-PHL-PVD.....changed by AA to PHL down and CLT return..same times so no biggie (Sunday/Sunday two weeks apart)
PHL-SXM delayed for 90 minutes waiting to be deiced...no biggie...last leg and no connection to be missed. Wifi/entertainment worked for 10 minutes and then was not available (still over USA).....minor.
Departure from SXM.....airport was fine. got there 3 hours early (noon) and found that AA didn't open until 1230p. decent line waiting by then but had priority boarding so that helped...minor or no issue at all
Flew through the rest and got upstairs to find a decent amount of places to eat/drink (Blue Bitch Bar is there) and sit
Went right down to the gate area and had no problem finding seats...plenty at 130pm Sunday...no boarding pass check to get there
Now it begins....two, yes two, minutes before boarding it was announced that the flight will be stopping in MIA "for fuel"..no issues with fueling any other aircraft but this creates IMMEDIATE confusion and panic for those with connections...agents had no info...very close to chaos...board the bus (yes it IS first on first off) and they take us to the aircraft not reading for boarding...so we stand in a line....waiting....
We get on the plane and see a frazzled pilot and co-pilot making calls on their phones...can't wait for this...
Then a yellow vested grounds crew supervisor comes on and demonstratively states that 'This is NOT a fuel issue. There is no fuel problem. It is totally a flight crew issue"..hmmmm
Then the Captain comes on and apologizes but "because of SXM airport conditions and winds we do not have enough fuel to get to CLT and have to stop in MIA". I should note that the AA flight TO PHILLY took off with no issues five minutes before us...same type aircraft..same SXM...same wind
We take off basically right on time....then more....Captain: "Because we are stopping in MIA as the first entry point in the USA everyone will have to deplane, get their baggage, do Customs and Immigration, recheck bags and get back on the plane...you can check you connection status to see if it is doable". ...my 90 minute connection is looking bleak..oh, and you CAN'T check anything 'cuz there is no wifi over water.
We land....Captain on his phone...we wait....but we have cell coverage and find out that most have been rebooked automatically...good....but for Monday...bad. Some were booked out of MIA instead of CLT because it was a better connection...good...but,,,,,
Captain: We have been informed that we do NOT have to go through customs in MIA (duh)...good...but...those 8 passengers with rebooked MIA flights can't get off...not a happy misinformed group...they go back to their seats. Also he said that customs in CLT would normally be closed when we arrive but they agreed to stay open for us...hmmm again
After around and hour...guess what? A new Captain and co-Captain arrive on scene and the original two find their seats with us to CLT....hmmmm...fuel?
We take off and we find that our connection is for 8am the next day but not in the Main Cabin Extra seats that we paid for...minor
We land in CLT \..go to immigration and see HUNDREDS of people at immigration from other flights...hundreds...no way they would be closed...GE only had 6 of 12 terminals working but no issue..5 minutes..and then wait...and wait....one hour five minutes for our bags ..not an issue because we are toast anyway but still lame
Right after customs there are five AA agents well aware at what is going on and just give us hotel and food vouchers...great...
Go to the Clarion at 11p...restaurant and bar open 'till 1am...GREAT! Ready for wakeup at 4am...
Get the shuttle to the airport and find that TSA shut down for an emergency inspection....bad....I would not be exaggerating if I said there were thousands of travelers in huge lines waiting for security check...
Tried to print bag tags but couldn't because they were already tagged to PVD...a helpful agent brought us to a desk to override the previous tags...Great but VERY confusing...and now into the TSA line..and the Precheck line...these pics, honest, show JUST the precheck lines...precheck...you know..the short one. I won't even attempt to describe the regular lines. These are taken in the middle of the line facing one way and then the other...starts on the left and goes to the "C" and turns around to go WAAAY down to the little "B" in the distance
We did eventually get to PVD...and got a text saying they were sorry for us not getting two of our four checked bags and to set up delivery preferences ...we only checked two and we have them...obviously Sundays bags are listed as missing in action....
Sorry for all the words but it really just kept getting better and better.....I love AA
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