TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin departure Sunday feb 4th

It was a mess!! Zero training of staff. Arrived at 1:10 for 4:05 flight westjet 2652. Stood in line about 30 people or so back. 3 wickets open one stating priority, another check in, another checked in online except there weren't separate lines. 2 of the wickets had people who had over weight luggage so they were on the floor trying to repack that took around 25 minutes each 7 one person trying to get documents to take 2 dogs to Canada. Then the idiots opened 3 more wickets & took the people from the back of the line over. Yep really!! So we got there 1:10 pm for 4:05 flight boarding was 3:25. We arrived at boarding at 3:10. Hotter than hades in the room, all seating taken (not many seats anyway) all the walls were taken with people standing so we stood in the middle of the room waiting. Thank goodness we had eaten before going over. I don't do well when I'm hungry. Lol. We held our tongues but seriously. Way worse than departure area last year downstairs!!!
will report some more later. Our internet was really sketchy this year!
But we had a great month there even though the weather was nasty for quite awhile, big winds & lots of rain some days.

Jeepers--so, your issues were only with Westjet? I couldn't really tell. Sounds like a really crappy way to end a vacation though.

The new "improved" departure area is not all that great. Too few seats for the number of passengers. And the air conditioning left a lot to be desired with so many people in an small space! That's not just WestJet. That's the departure area in general.

Wow. That's the first I've heard of it being as miserable as you found. Most all reports I've read on Facebook and other sites are saying how great it has been.

Well I don't think its westjet as the airport employees should be trained how to handle the windows as they open them & take people waiting the front of the line instead of the back, am I right that this is an airport training thing??That room downstairs in B departure is just plain nasty!! Worse than last january. After standing for 2 1/2 hours my back was killing me (I have arthritis). the people were so packed in I didn't even have room to open my purse to get advil as people were shoving to find somewhere to stand. I kid you not. We were told 6 months for completion.

Scuba, there are others saying the same. The seating area is too small for the number of passengers on Saturday.
Getting through to the gate....is much improved. But waiting at the gate? Not so much.

jeepers--yes, I know a lot of people have complained there is not enough seating, as in plenty of room for seats, but no chairs! Same ol, same ol! Total mismanagement.

I found the seating to be a problem too. I got there early but I was afraid to get up to do anything (buy a drink, bathroom etc.) because I knew I would have to stand when I came back. Getting to the gate area was no problem. I wish they would open the new lounge. I would pay whatever to get in there if it’s like the old one. Or hopefully better.

The stuff where you check in seems to be a Westjet issue..

Yep I agree on available seats being in short supply though the A gates (upstairs )is cool enough. In the end of January a lot of passengers were standing

I was at the A gates when I was complaining about the AC. There were a bunch of people complaining. But maybe that has resolved since just before Christmas?

Not to beat a dead horse but the PA system is probably the worst I’ve encountered on train stations and airports. Most are horrible but at the A gate the speakers are near the metal roof and the sound bounces all over and every word spoken is unintelligible

MIA is no better.

Yeah, but Miami didn't just finish a makeover of the area either.