Jet Blue - Winair help: Jet Blue changed flight times

R

Risa

SBH Insider
This is my last ditch effort not to have to buy a whole new ticket.

I booked my flights last May. Jet Blue JFK > SXM, Winair to SBH. Since then, Jet Blue changed our departure time an hour and a half forward, and I will miss my Winair flight. Seems I got an internet fare of $161 and it's non-changeable, non refundable, Winair says I need to buy a whole new $250ish ticket. I'm traveling with two other people who are convinced it will all work out at SXM when we land. Usually, I think Winair pulls things off like this, but I don't have a good feeling about it.

Jet Blue's only suggestion is for us to fly the day before, which means I incur hotel fees on SXM that I'm not interested in. (Or maybe that's what I should do, if anyone has a nearby hotel that is cheaper than a whole new Winair ticket?).

I checked with Premium VIP and then said they can't help.

Any ideas?
 
I know that rules change, some far too frequently & usually not for the good. And there are many 'used to be's' in travel as well as life in general.

Questions...when are you supposed to travel...? You have 2 separate tickets, not 1 ticketed together for both airlines ? Since I no longer need to know for our travel which airlines have joint fares or can be ticketed together. So I don't know if you could have done 1 ticket. The Winair ticket was bought online on Winair's site or from a different source, if there is one? Like I said I'm no longer 'up' on this since no longer in the business or travelling to SBH. Any travel consultant involved with your ticketing or you did them ?

But I would contact Winair & try to speak with a supervisor, don't give up, but explain the Jet Blue change of times that's causing the issue with the Winair issue. Beg if you have to, or offer to pay a nominal fee for changing, IF you can get flights...I have a feeling you're doing high season?

Is there another airline you could buy tickets on for the dates you need? and work with Winair flights you have if Winair won't budge ?

Jet Blue needs to 'own' their schedule changes & offer to help you...all 3 of you, instead of saying fly the next day. Again, get a supervisor involved...do you have history with Jet Blue as a frequent flier?

Good luck, 20 + yrs of visiting SBH, NancySC
 
Risa said:
This is my last ditch effort not to have to buy a whole new ticket.

I booked my flights last May. Jet Blue JFK > SXM, Winair to SBH. Since then, Jet Blue changed our departure time an hour and a half forward, and I will miss my Winair flight. Seems I got an internet fare of $161 and it's non-changeable, non refundable, Winair says I need to buy a whole new $250ish ticket. I'm traveling with two other people who are convinced it will all work out at SXM when we land. Usually, I think Winair pulls things off like this, but I don't have a good feeling about it.

Jet Blue's only suggestion is for us to fly the day before, which means I incur hotel fees on SXM that I'm not interested in. (Or maybe that's what I should do, if anyone has a nearby hotel that is cheaper than a whole new Winair ticket?).

I checked with Premium VIP and then said they can't help.

Any ideas?
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Assume it is not possible for Jet Blue to book you on an earlier flight the same day that would enable you to make the Winair connection? I seem to recall they have multiple flights per day JFK/SXM. Sorry for the stress - Good luck!
 
Yes, I'm frequent flyer with Jet Blue.
Yes, they are separate tickets, booked separately (Jet Blue doesn't have the Winair connection option).
Yes, it's "high season" January 14th.
There are later flights on Winair available. I spoke with one person who didn't budge, but I didn't upgrade it.
Since it's only a one hour change, I believe Jet Blue isn't legally responsible for anything.

But you're right, I can try again with Jet Blue. And I will.
I've been going to SBH since 1997....I've had silly stuff happen of course. But this is the worst I've known about in advance.
 
MDC - I was on the earliest flight out of the NYC area, and they moved it an hour and a half later. There is no earlier option.
 
It may not help with your present situation, but when we recently booked Jet Blue (from RIC), you can enter SBH as your destination and they automatically book your flight with Winair. That way if anything changes, it’s on Jet Blue to coordinate with Winair. Hopefully Winair will help you this time…we’ve had positive and negative experiences with their customer service.
 
I take it you didn’t opt for full flex fare ?
At least get one free change. Worth the few extra €
 
Risa said:
Sadly, I didn't. I have never had an issue before.
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AA forced us to change our February 2026 Winair flight (our one freebie change) then AA changed itinerary again. Second change probably too tight for checked bags (I'll check with Vincent), but we can carry on if necessary . . . we prefer nekkid on-board travelin'.
 
Question, if you had book SBC vs Winair would you have still had this issue?

You are still over a month out... but it is getting closer and the schedule is turning to concrete. We have a trip scheduled to STJ about the same time. We booked the earliest flight to from BOS-STT we could. JetBlue has changed our flight times 2x already. Switching from 7:00 departure to 10:00 departure and now to 8:30 departure. Maybe cross your fingers that they change the time again?

Could just "wing it" and take the ferry as a backup plan?

Unfortunately I am not a "wing it" person, and I don't think I would be dealing with this change as well as you currently are.

FWIW when we do BOS-SBH we typically book a real late flight and hope we can get on an earlier flight.... last time (2022) we flew SBC and didn't know the procedures. Seemed like they were on more of a "first come first served" schedule.... as long as you had a ticket for that day. We didn't know this and we spend waaaaaaaay too much time in SXM.
 
There weren't any SBC flights that would have worked, sadly.

The two people I'm traveling with are all in on "winging it." I have a fear that we will be chasing off to catch a ferry...but maybe we will get lucky. I'm really annoyed at Jet Blue. It is such an unfair move.
 
JetBlue did this to me on both my outbound and return flights for early April.

On outbound they moved it 3 hours earlier -- leading to an extended wait in SXM. Luckily SBC added an earlier flight last week that I was able to switch to. Now the issue is whether I'll make the SXM->SBH connection. 1 hour 5 min. Should be doable with only carry-on.

On the return they moved it 3 hours earlier as well. No SBC flight would work, so was forced to book WinAir.

As my SBC fares were 'flex' -- I was able to change without fee on the outbound and will be able to get a credit for a subsequent SBC flight for the return leg, good for 1 year. So I guess I'll have to come back to St. Barts.
 
cassidain said:
That sounds like a Premium IV situation to me. But, you may not want to invest the 270 € ???
A very wise investment IMHO
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I actually contacted Premium IV, and they weren't able to help. We ended up winging, and one person w carryon made the flight, 2 of us were rebooked at SXM w no extra charge (I gave the person who booked us some cash). With only carryon, it's a possibility in an hour, w transit.
 
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