TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin SXM Airport COVID Precautions

For those of you that are on the island or were recently there, are there any precautions being taken upon arrival to SXM when going through customs, etc.? For example, are people social distancing in line?

They have sanitizer stations on the walkway to immigration and social distancing better than at the TSA in USA where we came through at Logan airport in Boston.
The process is very smooth and very safe in my opinion.

What about being jammed on the buses to get to the terminal?

Elaine reported about that a week ago when she and Bill returned to the island. She said they had to go from the plane to the bus with no recourse but to get on the bus, that it was crowded and that she was not happy. I don't blame her. The powers that be say you must social distance, wear your masks, etc. and then pack you in like a bunch of cattle to get from the plane to the terminal. Who makes these decisions??

I wouldn't be as concerned about the bus when arriving, since everyone on the plane, and therefore on the bus, had to test negative before they could board the flight. I know a lot can happen in the five days between testing and flying, but still would feel pretty safe. Getting on the bus to depart might be a little riskier. However, the guidelines do say that less than 15 minutes of exposure isn't likely to cause infection. I don't think the short bus ride is an issue. Just my opinion.

Just returned on the island on a Klm flight, basically empty about 70pax on board. At the airport I was pleasently surprised to see that they used 3 buses to get us to the terminal and honestly the trip only takes less than a minute. I was also impressed on the handling at health control and passport control. We had much more of a problem on the plane coming in with a few young passangers not wearing the masks at all time until the Captain of the flight stepped in personally. And you understand that a 9 hours flight with people not behaving in an appropriate manner, given the Covid situation, was more of a concern than my actual arrival process at PJIA

I came in last weekend on Jet Blue from Boston, and we walked to the terminal.

We arrived at gate 2 and were bused to the terminal. They had someone limiting the number of people getting on the buses. The problem was not the St. Maartener's but the tourists from the plane want to crowd the door for getting off when the bus arrived at the terminal. I told multiple people, on the bus, to back up because I wanted room around us.

We arrived at gate 2 and were bused to the terminal. They had someone limiting the number of people getting on the buses. The problem was not the St. Maartener's but the tourists from the plane want to crowd the door for getting off when the bus arrived at the terminal. I told multiple people, on the bus, to back up because I wanted room around us.

Oh wow, forgot about the buses! I would much rather walk.

I'm sorry...I don't agree that simply because everyone tested negative FIVE DAYS prior to flight that they are ok.

Lot can change in 5 days.