TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin In checking future reservations on AA......

I looked at all our scheduled flights for 2016 and the first thing I noticed was that our April AA flight to SXM suddenly has a new flight number, but the good news is, it's still there and unlike so many other years, they haven't cancelled the n/stop out of JFK and dumped us onto a connecting flight. At least, they haven't so far......

But my point in posting is they've been playing with the schedules once again so anyone with future reservations for April and on might want to check on them - just in case!

Always a good idea to check, even if you are signed up for notifications as those don't always happen.

Check check and RECHECK!! we booked our flights for nonstop JFK-SXM back in MARCH last year for this Jan.

We went from confirmed seats,
then an equipment change with no confirmed seats,
then a swap back to a 3rd a/c with confirmed seats.....so I check our seats once a week.

I think the changes were more this year with the US merger. should settle down. But makes one want to consider JetBlue more and more.

At this point, we are only flying AA when we have miles to do it for free. This way if they screw us (again) on our flights it will at least be easier to swallow since we aren't paying.

Thanks Pat-I checked today and our confirmed flights changed-originally we were going from upstate NY on 01/17 into Charlotte then SXM. Now I see today we are going into Philadelphia then onto SXM. Same thing on the return 02/14. Times are the same so not certain if they dropped the flights into Charlotte from upstate NY?

mirrodie,

I've been a confirmed AA customer for years but given the many changes in AAs schedules and equipment over the last seven or eight years, we've been forced to make quite a few JB flights and my experience has been they're not without their own issues. Perhaps not the same ones as AA, but the issues are there, believe me. And they can range from booking problems, to over-zealous flight crews, to ever escalating pricing in their tickets. I think this is just part and parcel of the industry today and all you can really do is be proactive and stay on top of things. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat, I also discovered flight number changes this weekend, as well as aircraft changes. Have to keep watching them... or else! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

pat sorry to hear you've had problems on JB. You scare me because ---knock on wood-- we've not had any problems so now I'm thinking that we are due.

Never had a flight or fare change or delay with them. Just this morning I had to call to notify them of new passport numbers since that info had been entered on our booking. I didn't want any problems with them or TSA for documents not agreeing. No wait to speak to a live person who assured me they have changed that info---a sweet, polite woman unlike ALL the past contacts I had with AA & USAIR.

If you fly enough, no matter what airline, sooner or later you WILL have a problem.

JetBlue is not the darling they once were.

Yup, for sure. It doesn't matter what airline you fly--confirm your reservations--early and often!!

AA has been upgrading and putting newer planes on some routes. Our seats changed in first class. We were notified and the seats they put us in were fine. I could change them myself by going online but there was no need to. If the equipment changes many times so does the flight number and seats.

Rosemary,

Not sure who said it but I agree whole heartedly with the premise that if you fly often enough with any airline, you will eventually encounter some problems and personally, reading all the opinions I've seen over the years here, I think that's absolutely correct.

We've had a few problems with AA over the years but it's generally a matter of cancelling n/stops we're booked on and putting us on less desirable connecting flights. I can't say I've ever had any problems with AA personnel over all the years and all our trips with them and each time they've always been very good about going the extra mile to make us happy.

Don't know why, but it seems every I attempt to book a JB flight on line it becomes a nightmare. We had a lot of problems back in the summer but it was about the time they changed to their tier structure pricing. After three or four attempts on line, I called and they did the booking on line at no charge to us.

Last week I went to book something and had more problems so again, I called and they were very nice and again booked it over the phone with no booking fees admitting their on-line reservation system is not without problems.

So I guess my JB problems are primarily IT related and I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />I think were both onto something here.

I've been flying American Airlines for 35 years and the vast majority of those years has been great. And very very lucky. But I AGREE!, Where it gets to be less fun is yes, when they take a n/s flight and turn it into one or two connections and that's a no go for us. We welcome paying more for a Non stop. (that's in contrast to my pre-children days, where I made as many connections as I wanted, like a milk run?). With AA, if there's a problem with an SXM, you're looking at going to San Juan or Miami( and now add Charlotte !). The good thing about jetblue is that it's pretty much point-to-point so the worst comes to worst you're getting delayed. With AA, you can get a re-route and you get delayed at the connection and Lord knows how long that's going to take at CLT, MIa or SJU.

With the most recent example I gave, we had four seats in business, but once the equipment changed and the flight numbers changed, three of the four seats were in. Had to use expert flyer to try and see other possibilities but they were all routing us through Miami , Or Charlotte. So rather than change my original booking I sent tight and wait for the equipment changes to sort them selves out.

I'm still partial to American. But yep, anything can happen any airline. I just think that in retrospect, with JetBlue there's less of a chance of being routed to different cities, adding further opportunities for things to go wrong.

Did anyone see the NY Eve trip report. 9 hour delay on AA! That sucks on any airline! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />



But yes, great reminder to all! Check reservations often!

My friend just got notification that our April return has us with an overnight in Philly!! I thought I had set up to be notified, guess not. I'll be busy trying to straighten this out today so we can all stay on the same flights.

Rural carrier & Pat.

You say "if you fly enough...soon you will have a problem.." Well then I;m definitely due because I'm 67 and my first flight was at age 12 and I flew alone Eastern Airlines Providence to La then on Frontier Airlines on to Oxnard, CA no problem.

Since then I've flown at least twice yearly sometimes 3 times. So I guess I have enough flights under my belt now to have that belt break! I'm due.

I have thought in the past I had notifications set up and then found out I didn't. Seems they have multiple notifications and options and even IF you think you have them set, I would still check and do so on a regular basis.

With the mergers of airlines, websites and mileage programs it is probably a good idea to go into your account and update your profile. I would still check periodically even after doing this.

RonDon, yes, sooner or late it is almost bound to happen. I don't fly too often, basically 1 trip a year to SXM now. In the past we would do multiple trips and also to different places. I have had multiple problems with SXM flights and also on a trip to the DR. Some were weather related but even with that, you have to be on top of the situation and take action FAST. Ask my wife's family. They spent 3 days in CLT on their way to the DR. They relied on a travel agent, there were weather issues and traveling between Christmas and New Years is always dicey.

Here's to your continued good luck!!

My luck? Well, while not terrible but perhaps I could impose upon you to share your travel dates and airline choices along with suggestions for my tent camping trip dates? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

For years we have been going to SXM in November/December and booking our tickets early with USAIR. We have been checking our future flights in November/December. In the past we booked with USAIR and the airfare was about #730. Now we looked at AA and the fees are about $850, up $120 per ticket. All the merger did was reduce competition and allow AA to raise the prices.

Good luck Prek ... found my schedule had changed yesterday for the spring so I went and figured out a new route home as I did not like the one they had put me on and then contacted AA. I had all the flight #'s, times etc and still the agent on the AA phone took forever working this out. She kept asking me the same things I had told her in the first place. The change meant 2 stops instead of 1 but I would get home a lot sooner than after midnight. This said the agent went to the supervisor and he/she would not allow the final connection for whatever reason (there was 1 hour 28 minutes connection time). So instead of getting home at 6:30 p.m it is now 8 p.m. A far better time than midnight I agree but the whole process took over 50 minutes. No wonder it takes forever to talk with an agent when you try to get hold of one. So count me as another sad former US Airways customer and another disgruntled AA client.

We go that same timeframe and fly through Charlotte, as I'm guessing you do as well. Our return date isn't yet available (it will be tomorrow), but the coach fare is about the same as it has been, just under $800. What shocked me is that business class is over $2,100 each! Sure, the big seats are nice, but not worth almost three times as much!

Just checked my Jet Blue flights for March, which were booked back in July and the times haven't even changed by a couple of minutes! That seems kind of weird to me, which probably means that they are fixing to cancel my flight! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> For whatever reason, I can't get to the seating chart or anything else on the reservation though, so Jet Blue's computer snafus apparently continue unabated!!!

It seems like every time they do a change or addition to their computer systems, we experience at least temporary snafus and they often seem to occur when they run sales. I wonder who their IT company is.........

Obviously, whoever it is, is getting paid WAY too much money! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Mad.gif" alt="" />

I was able to get it fixed after talking to 3 agents. I told her vacations were supposed to be fun not stressful! LOL I don't get why all the SXM flights to BDL are overnight now, except for a few. Do they really think people want to stay overnight somewhere on their way home from a beautiful island?? I am ok with time change things, usually they don't matter. I also found that our trip down had changed by minutes, unfortunately the change meant our seats changed and we were no longer sitting together. Glad I caught that! US Air was fine by themselves. This merger made them so much worse! Good luck with your trip!!

Two weeks ago we searched for an AA flight non-stop from Charlotte to SXM in fall. Nothing. All flights out of CLT routed through Miami. Checked every day from mid-November to mid-December. Today we checked and found reasonably priced flights non stop. Go figure.

Joe,

It seems they add and eliminate the nonstops at their will and for no obvious reasons. We get the same thing out of JFK for our late spring trips.

We currently have three business tix purchased but I check almost daily for fear they will cancel them again. So far it's only been equipment and flight number changes but last November they completely cancelled our n/s. Again, no rhyme and no reason.

And on another note - no reduction in prices for distant flights given the reduction in oil prices worldwide. Funny, how the prices go up immediately when oil prices rise but seemingly never go down when they drop. Just sayin'.....

Well, do keep checking those flights, once you get them booked, in case they cancel the non stops!

I'm not sure when in the fall you're looking; there are definitely non-stops (3 on Saturday) from CLT on AA in the latter part of November.

I have CLT to Sxm non stop for my May trip. They did change equipment for the better but still non stop.

I have always had a bit of bad luck on the last few US air flight--gate changes without notification, once a pilot didn't show up, etc. I like JB out of boston and they will give you credit after you book your ticket if the price drops in 14 days. that's one of the main things i like. There is nothing more frustrating than booking a flight and finding out 3 days later the same flight is 80 dollars less.

Pat, do you use Expertflyer? I've been using it and it gives a sense of what flights may be cxled.

Right now, my business class flight is packed in business but not so much in coach. That *may* cause the flight to be cxled.

The cancellation on nonstops is really the only reason I consider jetBlue.

No, I don't use it.

We only fly about twice a year internationally, and that would be primarily AA to St. Maarten. Having made the trip as often as we have, I usually have a fairly decent sense of when to book and when not to although they've managed to surprise me a few times over the years.

When I booked my April AA flight to SXM for this year, I knew in my heart a late April return wouldn't hold as a n/stop so we recently booked JB for want of a better option. My flight experiences on JB haven't been as good as some here but I definitely like the T5 immigration hall at JFK. And sure enough, the late April AA n/s is not available so I guess it was a good plan.

And an additional thought - we were booked a few years back on AA flights r/t to SXM in Business for our early April trip. All the Business seats were taken and the main cabin was almost completely booked, too. Didn't matter because in the infinite wisdom of the airline they cancelled the n/s completely. We laughed because I received an email notifying us and to our amusement, when I checked the flights and seats they had rebooked us on and in, according to the AA schedule, one of the flights didn't even exist. The good news, however, was not only did they rebook us on better flights that we were able to choose, still in First/Business, but they allowed us to change our departing airport which they generally don't do. I was very happy about that since we were then able to fly out of LGA which is a little closer for us than JFK. And there were no additional costs or fees for the changes even though we now had two flights in those comfy up front seats each way instead of one. I guess they decided that was the price THEY had to pay for their changes to OUR plans. The agent couldn't have been any more helpful and in the end, it really wasn't a big deal.

Prek ...surprise surprise..... After dealing with the agent yesterday, the resolution did not sit well with me all night, so I attempted to call back today and talk with a supervisor to get an answer as to why they would not put me on my choice for the final leg of the flight home. The agent I talked with listened to my explanation and lo and behold fixed the final leg and did it in under 5 minutes. So moral of the story is never give up if something seems easier than it appears.

Rick--If I am not happy with what someone tells me from an airline, I have often called back and gotten a different result. Congrats for your perserverance.

However, I suspect your original problem with the connection was that it was less than a 'legal' international connection, since it is under an hour and a half. Hopefully you won't have any problem making your connection, as that is probably the reason why they wouldn't put you on the connection to begin with. Where are you connecting through?

Carol it was not an international connection as I was doing the SXM to MIA to CLT to DTW. It was between CLT to DTW that I wanted a better time and got it. Beats sitting in CLT for 3 hours.

OK, thanks for the explanation. Since your profile says that you live in Canada, I 'assumed' it was an international connection.. And you know what happens when you 'assume'... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Glad you were able to get it changed.

In my Inbox right now:

"AA Schedule Change"

Here we go...

us too... i think they have changed our flights three times so far for April.....

Time changes here and there, that is ok but when you change a flight to an overnight that is not ok! Guess I will have to watch them frequently between now and April. Also, didn't make me happy that hubby and I weren't sitting together on the flight down! Hope I fixed the notification thing but who knows?

Ugh, overnight changes are simply unacceptable.

As for my flight ,was initially slated as an AA 767 and downgraded to 757, but still n/s. But anything can still happen