It’s a long way down

justme

SBH Member
We always leave SBH saying it’s a long way down. Things become dramatically different when we leave. Crowds. Food. Airports. Weather. Lol

Our trip home was a cluster_____.

We grabbed a sandwich from Maya’s TG for the trip and arrived at the airport at the designated time, 1130 for our flight, per guidance from premium IV. On arrival, we are informed that the 1200 winair flight we booked months ago no longer exists, and handnt in some time. No one informed of us this until that moment. We were told our bags were going over already - they had been picked up at 1030 - otherwise wouldn’t make our 2pm flight to BOS. We were told we were on the 1220 winair flight, which would hopefully be enough time.

As we sat sat in the terminal, we get an overhead announcement that our flight was delayed to 1245. Several of us became concerned about making connections. As we sat and sat and sat, we saw our bags sitting on a dolly on the tarmac. We emailed premium IV and got an out of office message. Yikes.

We finally started to board at 1245 and several of informed the pilot of our connection issues. We accepted that our bags would be delayed. The pilot informed us he would alert “ops” of our lateness. This we would learn never happened.

We landed at last, deplane, get carryons, get on bus, get off bus, several of us in a panic, and the rep from premium IV greeted us and then asked us to stop and give him all our contact info. We said we’d email it later to arrange how our bags would get home because we didn’t have minutes to waste. And there’s no WiFi in sxm so we could just quickie email it.

We go to the transfer line line and it’s long. And not moving. An SXM guy is asking everyone about connections. At this point we have 20 mins before the doors close at 136 (per boarding pass). We tell him we are going to be late, he assures us we are fine and won’t be late. Something happens in immigration and the line stopped moving. After several anxious minutes we are told “everything is working again” and the line starts to move. We go thru security and into a long rat maze to get to immigration staring at my watch, minutes ticking by. We are separated and agree that my partner will get thru first and run to the gate to get us on the plane. It’s 130. One of the three immigration agents uses this minute to leave her station and go on a break with no replacement. I get thru and run to the gate, not easy in flip flops. Lol. I get to the gate at 135 to see the stairs being pulled back from our plane, and the JetBlue agent saying “you’re too late.” I had a meltdown. Over the next 40 minutes, the agent works to find our bags, we turn on cell service and call premium IV who doesn’t seem to recognize our name, and have them find the rep to get our bags onto our new flight. Somehow it all worked at we got on the 230 flight to JFK, arriving there around 6, and waiting there until 11 to get home to Boston at midnight. We have to pay additional bag fee. We have to pay a change fee for the ticket. As I get into the boarding line, I’m called over for secondary screening. I have never seen someone be so thorough and so slow with doing this.. opened every pocket, my wallet, my passpprt cover. Everything. It took 15 minutes. I get on my seat to find a bulkhead thing in front of me, so uncomfortable. Go to security to use our global entry and the machines stop working while my partner is doing his. We go to the transfer desk and discover we don’t have extra leg seats (I’m 6’4”) and pay the fees to get those. Thankful for the choice of Restos at JFK, had a long dinner with drinks and a bottle of wine. Got to BOS, and our bags took forever. We collect them to discover my RIMOWA case has a giant dent in it and a broken handle. Wtf. We walked into our place just before 1am. Exhausted and annoyed.

When we add up the cost of the winair tickets, the premium IV service that didn’t help, the cost of the meal, the change fees, the seat fees, the bag fees, and the lost hours, we have seriously re thought about how much sense it made to not use tradewimd from SJU this year. The total cost savings end up being $500 and I’m not sure it was worth it at all. In fact I know it wasn’t worth it, lol. Morals: don’t trust winair flight tickets. Check them. Don’t trust people who are supposedly helping you to have any intel that the flight is a problem (really? Isn’t transit a major part of the service?) don’t trust the sxm staff and let them ease your fear. Fly any other way than thru SXM. NO ONE seemed to care, it was all a “laid back” “it will be fine” hands in the air, “what can I do?” attitude. Give your JetBlue gate agent a hug for helping you get home. (There’s only one flight a week sxm-bos).

Its a long way down.
 
as far as your winair flight SBH-SXM---always call winair 48 hours ahead of your departure to confirm your flight--this will save you many headaches-I'm sorry to hear about your travel nightmare-glad you finally made it home safe and sound!!
 
Wow. I gave up on Winair years ago. As to Tradewind, I tell people to "run the numbers" and see if it makes sense to use them. Sometimes the numbers are just the numbers, and sometimes the numbers aren't strictly a dollar amount, but are also a question of how much you're willing to pay to avoid SXM. I think that you're solidly in the 2nd category.

If there's a worse US baggage claim operation than BOS, and it's a general thing, not airline specific, then I have yet to see it.
 
That's sucks that you had to go through all that. I am uber conservative when it comes to getting to the airport so I always take an earlier flight when possible. 90% of the time it wasn't needed and I end up rushing to wait at the airport twice as long for no reason, but that one time it pays off is worth it for me personally. One of those damned if you do and damned if you don't things...

I think I would be most disappointed with Premium IV if I were you. I've never paid for a service like that but I always thought the only reason to pay them was for them to work their magic at times just like what you endured. Sounds like they really didn't do much for you when you needed them most. Luckily from reading some of your posts it sounds like you had a great time on the Island so hopefully your "cluster ____" of a flight home doesn't become the thing you remember about your trip.

The best part of the story: "Thankful for the choice of Restos at JFK, had a long dinner with drinks and a bottle of wine."
Even during a trip from Hell in the middle of Queens when all you want to do is be home in your own bed...a couple of cocktails and a bottle of wine can do wonders...
 
Funny, I had to go back and read your whole post again. For some reason I was reading Premium IV as Tradewind. The whole time I was thinking that it took us less than 50 min from the time we left the SBH waiting area until we were at the gate in a SJU. I was amazed with he speed.

Our last trip back from SBH to BOS through SXM had us waiting in a 2 hour line through security. That put a damper on an otherwise good trip.

Also, since when did Jet Blue restore direct flights from SXM to BOS?
 
Also, since when did Jet Blue restore direct flights from SXM to BOS?

I think that JetBlue restored Saturday-only non-stop BOS-SXM service last month. I haven’t looked, but I was told that it would have Mint service available.

If if you think SXM is tough on a normal day, wait until you try it on a Saturday (timeshare turnover day).
 
Wow, I just read your post and needed to pour a glass of wine. I am sorry for your experience. I hope the memories pass and you remember the joy of your time on the island.

As far as Winair vs. St. Barth Commuter, we have consistently had better experiences with Winair. Our last few SBC flights were late. And when we've had delays getting to SXM, SBC basically abandoned us with no refund and Winair honored our flights the next morning.

We fly down to the Bucket regatta out of BOS in 10 days and I am prepared for the worst. There was no direct flight to SXM on the day we leave so we have a JFK layover coming and going.

I would contact Winair for a refund given there was no notice of your cancelled flight and the next flight was significantly delayed. Premium IV also owes you a refund. They failed you. If neither give you a refund, then try to stop payment through your credit card company.
 
The important lesson here? Do not leave St Barth. Ever. Problems solved!

But if you must, going ANU/Tradewinds is really another level of comfort. Not perfect, but an improvement.
 
I haven't been since college...are the people at SJU less proficient at smile-dousing rudeness than those at ANU? (Certainly the masters of the art being the SXMers.) If the SJUers are still only learning that craft then yes SJU might be the lesser of three evils and overall less painful.
 
Justme, I just read this post, the 1st of my day & I'm exhausted ! SO sorry for all of the issues you confronted & experienced, glad home safely. But so glad when WM & AA had schedule changes for us going thru SXM in May that I opted to change our AA tix to SJU instead & buy Tradewind + overnites at SJU each way...yes more $'s, but also more peace of mind, less frustration at SXM. Have been victimized by surly SXM employees there over the years...I remember a lane opening up upon arrival for immigration, then she realized she didn't have her stamper & shut it down. ENUF SXM !
 
What a terrible ordeal- sorry to even read your travails- at least you made it with your luggage home finally. We decided several years ago that the extra dollars you never remember but its experiences like yours that we unfortunately recall- we spend the extra to go Tradwind and have never had a problem since unlike Win- Air and SXM- ugh!
 
Yikes, this post brought back such bad memories of years past when we used Winair and flew thru SXM. We are now diehard Tradewind Aviation fans. When you add up all the ticket change fees, the cost for Premium IV, the dinner in JFK (with wine LOL) it would have mitigated the extra cost for Tradwind.
 
Thanks for sharing your story.

Coming up on 18 yrs of booking-managing our rental villa I'm certain I have had or encountered every possible issue with getting to or from SB by plane or boat.
A couple of items stand out which are covered on my 10 pages of guest instructions.
1) re confirm your departure time day prior...best mid morning....regaedless of carrier and of course pre print boarding passes.
2) allow 2 plus hours to transit Princess J...more after noon...my opinion, even if your WA flight had been on time it could have been tight...someone should have informed you and not had you ticket that close of a connection.

Arrival & deparures typically bunch up after 12 or so, the time, as you painfully learned is critical.

Note...Agree with our friend Jeanette...Prem IV or their compeditor SBS should have be in phone contact and been able to wisk you through SXM right to your JB gate...esp with your late SBH departure...surprised to learn otherwise...
 
Wow...an arduous, painful journey to be certain. So sorry for your major troubles. We’ve got our trip coming up in mid-April. Inbound on Tradewind, outbound on Winair to AA connection. There have already been several flight changes for us on Winair. They’ve been good about updating us on the scheduled flight changes. They’ve gotten earlier and earlier. SBH to SXM was originally 11:55 am, then changed to 11:25 am, and now it’s 10:55 am. Our AA flight to JFK has also been moved up. Originally departing at 1:48 pm, now departing at 1:18 pm. I’ve been constantly checking and rechecking every flight we have. Shocked at Premium IV. I’d definitely contact them...you pay them to avoid this scenario! We utilize them, and especially this year we thought it was an absolute necessity. I agree with everyone who is a proponent of SJU-SBH travel. We will do the same going forward after this trip. We are hoping for the best, but after reading this post, we will brace ourselves for the worst. Fingers crossed.
 
My recent experience, since Irma, has been, inward bound is not so bad to go through SXM. Flights are usually timely getting into SXM, wait time to get to SBC has been pretty easy. Can not say the same for return to States via SXM. However, return is much better through SJU.
 
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