TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Seaborne acquired

Sorry if I missed a previous discussion on this. I'm wondering what folks think about what effect this will have on flights to EIS.

Silver Airways Acquires Seaborne

I would think if they were acquired by another airline the buyer probably liked their approved routes.

How reliable is Seaborne currently? Looking to fly out of Beef Island in June back to Chicago via Seaborne/United. Would love to avoid the whole ferry and long airport wait in STT

I don't know about Seaborne, but we just flew out of St. Thomas, on a Saturday, and there were no lines what so ever. Walked into Customs and there were 4 officers waiting for the next person. No line at TSA, walked right through.

Orange...when I was there last month the lines at STT were not bad either really. Its just the need to be there so far in advance on American Airlines...3 hours. For me flying though STT makes it a 12 hour day of travel at the least back home. Flying out of Tortola its only about 8.
Thought I would give it a shot

Its states check-in 3 hours prior. You can check in uptown 24 hours in advance with AA.com App. Physically be there and bags checked is 90 minutes prior. Here is their issued statement:

The minimum times for check-in and baggage check have changed for St. Thomas (STT):
For check-in: 180 minutes (3 hours) prior to departure
For boarding passes or to check bags: 90 minutes prior to departure

When I was there last May I wasn’t able to check in via the app for American Airlines so even then I had to be there early. I’m going again in 9 days and I hope I will be able to check in online when I return on 20 May

Flew out of STT last Tuesday on Delta - arrived 11:30 for a 1:30 boarding call - through security in 10 minutes....

Any recent reports on Seaborne reliability since the acquisition?

the first of this June, we flew out of STT...to MIA ...to LAX via American Airlines. ( after two weeks of bare boat sailing the BVI .)

We were told to be there THREE HOURS EARLY........at STT for the flights to MIA , an on to LAX.

We did exactly that, and the lines were horrendous....never in all my flying world wide have I witnessed such long, long waits......And I mean bloody long .

Fist was checking in at the check in desk. We were checking the baggage through., at AA....just two familes ahead of us, with tons of luggage, That took a long time. There was just two of us out check in was fairly quick..

Next was Customs and Immigration, more long winding line, after winding lines. More long , long waits. We were flying American.

Then baggage ( another long line ) .....we to tote or roll our bags with us, and finally came to where we could load them on a conveyor

Then TSA......more long lines.

I am glad we planned on three hours, since after all that chaos of two hours plus we made with all speed to the terminal bar and found the last two empty seats . Life was good, all was well. They were going to let
me back into the mainland USA....

Now, here is the positive side of that debacle.....

We used to fly into EIS.....after an RON at Puerto Rico. We both are pilots and like flying on the twin cessnas, ( I usually talk with the capt, and he lets me ride in the right seat in the cockpit.) The flight was about 45 minutes to LIH..
Last time for that program was a few months pre Irma..about $ 1400.00 for the both of us round trip. That is a good amount of dinners, drinks, and good times. No more puerto rico, no more cape air.

This year, we decided to fly into St. Thomas from MIA, and take the ferry for $ 60.00 R/T. Easy stuff. . Running that savings of many yankee dollars thru my mind, it was easier to be relaxed
with hassels of the STT Thomas line delays leaving St Thomas for he mainland..

That was just a couple of weeks ago,

That experience doesn't sound like it had anything to do with Seaborne or that you were flying on Seaborne. I'm confused what this has to do with this thread.

We haven’t noticed any changes since Seaborne was acquired.

CaptDenny - what day of the week was your flight out of STT and at what time?

Knock on wood, but I've had short lines on my last 16+ return flights from STT in the past 4 years, but I've also avoided Sat & Sun flights.

Anecdotally, I've found Delta and United lines have moved faster than American, at least for me.


If you do get stuck in a long C&I line, the red cap porters will help get you near the front of the line - they come into C&I thru a different door. It won't help getting thru airline or TSA lines though.

Flew May 2019 on Seaborne SJU to EIS round trip was $217 pp including departure tax. Seemed like a deal to me.Last year we did the STT and ferry routine. STT was exactly as Denny described.

We have flown Silver many times in the Bahamas. Their on time record is less than desirable. I did read somewhere that next year they are going to get a whole new fleet.

Thank you all for you positive and informative comments

We did fly American on a Saturday......both in to STT and then then on return to MIA - LAX,

American had really good deals on Saturdays.....

In 16 BVI sailing vacation trips, we previously went thru SJU....and then flew into EIS. .
and were not familiar with the Saturday procedures at STT....actually this was our first time flying into or out of St. Thomas..

Hope this info helps out others who will know to plan around Saturday and Sunday
departures out of STT.

As to Seaborne.....on previous trips thru Puerto Rico, we researched Seaborne reviews, and many of
them were in the negative with cancelled flights and late flights. We did not want to take a chance on Seaborne . At that time our
choice was to fly with Cape Air.

No more saturday and sunday departures out of STT.

Appreciate your inputs.

We used Seaborne to fly from SJU to EIS. There were about an hour late but customs was easy. On the return we took the ferry to STT. We planned the 10 AM Fast Ferry and called to confirm they were operating. On arrival at ferry dock in road town found the 10 canceled. We got on native sons 9:30 which left at 10:30. Customs took a long time at STT with a good portion spent being gassed by the ferry exhaust. At the airport the American line was short and the customs line appeared short but moved very slowly. Entire process took 2 hours to stand in the 4 lines. Will fly both ways next time!
George

There are many choices from sju to eis.

Seaborne
Inter Caribbean
Air sunshine
Cape air

Plus numerous private charters.

I don’t know why you were forced to use cape air?

Just flew on Seaborne yesterday out of Beef Isle, heading to San Juan. When we landed, we were informed that 6 bags didn't make it on the plane due to overall weight concerns. My bag and my friends 2 bags didn't make it along with a family that had 3 bags. Our 3 bags were heavy, but under weight and the ticket counter. The Seaborne Employee at San Juan had us fill out a form and told us they would be in touch. I have been home in Nashville, for 12 hours now and haven't heard back from Seaborne. 2 phone calls (couldn't get in touch with a live person) and an email to their company and I haven't heard a peep. My bag is probably being used as a resting spot for one of those Airport cats at Beef.

Good luck. It took two days for our bags to show up at EIS.

The last time we flew Seaborne was a few years ago. On our return to the states, neither my bag nor my husband’s made it to San Juan. It happened to most people on our flight. Seaborne actually had staff as we deplaned handing out forms to fill out. We didn’t see our bags for 5 days. Mine flew through Dallas, and my husband’s through Chicago! And we were only flying to Miami. At least is was the end of our vacation.
Their customer service is almost non-existent.
Never again with Seaborne.

Haven't had any issues with seaborne since the acquisition but I also check-in online and carry my bag with me. Just flew with them last week and didn't notice any operational differences.

Warren

FYI...

You are going to get an answer to your post of us being " FORCED INTO FLYING CAPE AIR " .

We researched most of the flights between SJU and EIS over the years.....and the complaints were numerous for every one of them EXCEPT CAPE AIR. . Back at that time CAPE AIR had excellent reviews and was not all
that more expensive and we could trust them,. Plus we like flying in general aviation aircraft.

But, sadly, Cape Air doubled their price the last time we flew with them, and thus that also ended Cape Air for us. Hello , American to MIA to STT and Road Town Fast Ferry for the very first time.. Our choice,

The other thing we liked about Cape Air,and for years, besides always on time, it was also fun flying for us.,,,,,,,,

Why would flying Cape Air be fun ? .

I flew for professionally for nearly 40 years , as a flight instructor, charter pilot, corporate pilot, and Air Combat Instructor ( 5 and 6 G dog Fights). Erica is private pilot and aerobatic pilot, and in choosing Cape Air
I would talk with the Capt, and get to sit up in the cockpit , and it was great experiencing some of the old feelings of the flying days. .No stick time, but still it felt great and brought back past memories.

So, Cape Air was FUN for me .. It was also fun for Erica, as she had her camera out taking photos, as passenger were in single seats , all window seats.

So, Warren, answer up, or are you NORAD, are you a commercial pilot, and have 6500 hrs of professional flying , including 17 years, and 2500 missions as Air Combat Instructor ? . Erica about 640 hrs as a private pilot
and 200 of that as an aerobatic pilot.

As to your post.

No one forces us into anything, And, I mean anything. We have charted our own courses in life, and still are.

Everything that we have accomplished or done in life took dedication, study, and experience, and we loved it. Both of our careers were dedicated to actually helping people, to stay alive in alien envionments for me,
with instructing flying, as well as sailing and motor vessels. For Erica, she a now retired M.D. ( and a pilot, and excellent sailor, and sky diver, and Scuba Diver PADI cert, advanced up thru rescue diver ) Plus more.

There, you have my reply to your question.







.

Captaindennyj,

Thank you for your very in-depth response.

Air sunshine also flies the same route and same aircraft as Cape air.


I have flown with Cape air many times. Even sitting in the co-pilot seat.

I have flow on air sunshine many times as well.

Air sunshine was less expensive than Cape air even when the ticket books were available.

We had a very poor and frustrating time on Cape air years ago. I posted here about my experience. Cape air apologized for what took place.

In fact, Cape air is the only carrier between sju and eis that I ever had trouble with.

Im not saying that cape air is bad, that would be wrong. They all have their issues.

What I am saying is if you want to fly on a 402, check out the alternatives.

I have had on time departures from seaborne, intercarribean air sunshine and Cape air. I have had late arrivals on air sunshine cape air and intercarribean.

We allow enough connection time for problems to be addressed.

Any airline can fail to bring your luggage. Even the ferry sometimes has trouble

What I do fail to understand is the connection between your pilot and instructor skills and the reason why you could only fly on Cape air.

I get it that you prefer the aircraft where you see the cockpit and the path in front. It much better than on the seaborne or intercarribean planes.

See the pm I sent to you.

Warren and Denny, I sure appreciate both of your comments and expertise! I bet if you guys met down in the BVI, you could become great friends over a Carib or a Painkiller!

Air Sunshine operates as a part 135 operation while Cape Air operates under part 121 or the same standard of maintenance and pilot training as a major airline. Cape Air has been known as a airline that runs a good operation from a maintenance and regulatory standpoint. Air Sunshine does not have that reputation. After their most recent incident on Virgin Girda the British authorities recommended a complete inspection and review of their operation by the FAA. I don’t know if that review has occurred. Cape Air also has a state of the art corrosion program and they have practically rebuilt their Cessna 402’s from the ground up. A ticket on Air Sunshine should be cheaper, a lot cheaper!