TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands AA and other flights

Just wondering if my recent flight changes are a refection that tourism is still slow to St Thomas and the BVI. I have 2 charters booked in April and July..both sets of flights down have changed with AA. They were BUF to PHL to STT...now they have added another stop..BUF to PHL to MIA to STT.
Did not see to many airlines with only 1 stop over from BUF to STT..plus the costs have almost doubled.

AA has a habit of changing flights without notifying you.

I do not know about the additional stop, but I do know that on several occasions, when tourism was at full capacity, we would find out that our flight into San Juan was arriving after our connection to Beef Island had departed.

Check your reservations early and often. There was never any problem getting flights changed, but I shudder to think what would have happened if we had not checked months/weeks/days ahead of actual flights.

Pre-Irma, AA had 4~5 daily flights to STT via CLT, PHL and MIA. Now they're down to 1~2 flights from MIA and I think all are smaller 737's. I read some speculation the number of flights make increase come springtime.

You can still get Delta to STT from JFK and ATL.

I have not been following STT flights in particular, but for St Maarten, pre-Irma, there were always nonstops from Philly and Charlotte to SXM. Now, it seems that they are messing around with schedules, and many people have reported having a nonstop from either Philly or Charlotte, and then their flight being changed to a connecting flight through Miami. As the other poster said, AA or not, ALWAYS check and double-check your reservations, often, to make sure there have been no changes, especially in the post-Irma world. And, while it's probably not of much assistance these days, remember that if the airline significantly changes your air (and adding another stop would definitely count!), you are entitled to CANCEL your ticket and get ALL your money back. Now that only helps you if you can find some other tickets that you can live with, for a price you can live with.

I booked a flight on AA at the beginning of January for a trip 11-20 May. The flight is Montreal > PHL > STT. So far I have not received anything from AA about any changes. I also checked the app just to make sure.

We fly Delta out of Rochester, NY to ATL to STT. 12 hours from the door at our house to the door of our villa on Jost. <----at least when the stars align for me!

I had a non-stop AA flight from JFK (New York City) to STT set for July 4th. I'm now flying through MIA (argh). The itinerary they moved me to gave me 10 minutes to make a connection.

WHAT THE !#$(!!!!!!

Anyway, sorry about the sudden rant. AA was very helpful though and worked with me to create a better plan and find better seats. Still have a connection, but better than a cancelled flight.

Freedom--I would keep double-checking your flights, up until you leave..

I did look at getting my money back and change but the flights are now almost double. I guess I just need to suck it with another stop. With the feedback about the opening up of flights in the spring...maybe things will change again in my favour this time.

Carol - I certainly will now!

I'm not too bothered by this as long as I get to St Thomas in time to catch the ferry as I have hotel reservations in Road Town that night.

Freedom - I've had ferry stress in the past. You might consider reserving Dolphin Water Taxi. It's expensive - $140 per person - but they pick you up at STT, they'll wait for you if your flight is delayed, they drive you to their dock on the east end of St. Thomas, and they can deliver you directly to your charter base and handle your customs requirements. You're not bound to the ferry schedule, don't have to deal with lines and people pushing and shoving to get aboard or luggage winding up in the wrong place (that happened to me too).

Just a thought.

I just checked Dolphin and the rate was 115.00 but when you add the 56.00/pp international fee and 19.00 taxi fee you are now at 190.00, unless I am not reading right.

There may have been changes post Irma but prestorm the water taxis were required to drop passengers at the first CI. That was WE.

I didn't include the international fee because we'd have to pay that on entrance to the BVI anyway. That's how I got $140.

They told me that they're taking us directly to the Sunsail base. Not sure how they work it out, but they do collect everyone's passport info up front.

There will be others coming in that afternoon as I will be part of a group of 40+ women (some through STT and others through EIS) chartering eight boats starting the next day so there may be some arrangements for water taxis