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US Air/Winair Connection in SXM
- Thread starter tim
- Start date
leep75
SBH Insider
So I just booked for July 20-29 (on the phone--No fees or even mentioning of fees). So Tim, you are saying that I can print my boarding passes at home and I'll have all three legs of my arrival (ORD-PHL, PHL-SXM, and SXM-SBH), however, when I am on island I should just show up at the airport and let Winair do it for me? Also, I assume that my bag(s) will be checked all the way through to SBH so I should not have to go back through security as I have in the past when flying with checked bags? Thanks for the help!
tim
Moderator
You should be able to print your boarding passes at home for ORD-PHL-SXM-SBH, but you're planning to check bags. What I would do is check in on line, but not print the boarding passes. You've got to deal with the kiosk and an agent anyway to get the baggage tags, so you might as well print your boarding passes while you're there. Just make sure that your baggage tags say SBH, and they'll go all the way to St. Barth without your having to touch them. They may not be on your same Winair flight so I would always take a change of undies for that eventuality.
Coming back to the U.S. is different, as I learned yesterday. Winair in St. Barth said they can no longer print your US Air boarding passes even though they can check your bags all the way back to ORD. Winair told me yesterday that there would be a US Air agent at the Transfer Desk in SXM to print my boarding passes, but that turned out to be not true. There's a kiosk beside the Transfer Desk, but that is inoperative. I had to go through Immigration and all the way out to the US Air counter to get my boarding passes, then go upstairs to clear Security. The airport wasn't busy, and we had three hours between connections, so it wasn't a problem. For someone with a tight connection, I can see that it would be a problem. If the plane is full, they might close it out to those not checked in at least 90 minutes ahead of time.
Since Winair assured me I could get my US Air boarding passes at the SXM Transfer Desk, I didn't try myself to print them. Next time, I'll try that before going to the airport. Because Winair is originating the return flights, I'm not optimistic of the success of this method.
I welcome input from those who have made the Winair/US Air connection in the last couple of weeks.
Coming back to the U.S. is different, as I learned yesterday. Winair in St. Barth said they can no longer print your US Air boarding passes even though they can check your bags all the way back to ORD. Winair told me yesterday that there would be a US Air agent at the Transfer Desk in SXM to print my boarding passes, but that turned out to be not true. There's a kiosk beside the Transfer Desk, but that is inoperative. I had to go through Immigration and all the way out to the US Air counter to get my boarding passes, then go upstairs to clear Security. The airport wasn't busy, and we had three hours between connections, so it wasn't a problem. For someone with a tight connection, I can see that it would be a problem. If the plane is full, they might close it out to those not checked in at least 90 minutes ahead of time.
Since Winair assured me I could get my US Air boarding passes at the SXM Transfer Desk, I didn't try myself to print them. Next time, I'll try that before going to the airport. Because Winair is originating the return flights, I'm not optimistic of the success of this method.
I welcome input from those who have made the Winair/US Air connection in the last couple of weeks.
andynap
Senior Insider
"I welcome input from those who have made the Winair/US Air connection in the last couple of weeks."
That would be me and I printed my passes at Wimco the morning of our flight. Even tho I did not buy my USAIR Winair tickets together the Winair agent sent our bags thru to Philly. However, next year I do intend to buy my tickets together and print my pass at Wimco again.
That would be me and I printed my passes at Wimco the morning of our flight. Even tho I did not buy my USAIR Winair tickets together the Winair agent sent our bags thru to Philly. However, next year I do intend to buy my tickets together and print my pass at Wimco again.
tim
Moderator
I've made three round trips from RIC/CLT/SXM/SBH this winter. In all 3 cases I bought my US Air and Winair tix together from US Air. Outbound I was able to print both US Air and Winair boarding passes before leaving home. On the return I did not get an e mail message from US Air to print boarding passes before going to the SBH airport. On the first two return trips, Winair was able to print my US Air boarding passes, but they said that it sometimes worked and other times didn't. On my trip home this past Tuesday, the Winair agent said flatly that they could no longer print US Air boarding passes even though they are able to check bags through to one's final destination on US Air. He further said there would be a US Air agent at the SXM Transfer Desk to print my US Air boarding passes, but that was false information. We therefore had to go out to the US Air ticket counter to get our boarding passes. There was one plus while going through SXM Immigration. The far left lane says that it's for Transfer passengers, and we went through that lane without having to fill out the SXM customs form.
I didn't try to print just my US Air boarding passes on my computer on the return trip, but I don't think it would have worked due to Winair's being the originating flight. I used to always book my Winair directly from Winair and separately from the US Air tix. In that scenario I had no trouble printing my US Air boarding passes on my computer.
I didn't try to print just my US Air boarding passes on my computer on the return trip, but I don't think it would have worked due to Winair's being the originating flight. I used to always book my Winair directly from Winair and separately from the US Air tix. In that scenario I had no trouble printing my US Air boarding passes on my computer.
andynap
Senior Insider
"I didn't try to print just my US Air boarding passes on my computer on the return trip, but I don't think it would have worked due to Winair's being the originating flight"
Why not? Because the 2 were tied together? So in the future and buying the 2 airlines together I can't print my USAIR passes going home?
Why not? Because the 2 were tied together? So in the future and buying the 2 airlines together I can't print my USAIR passes going home?
tim
Moderator
At the US Air ticket counter, I was told that the reason Winair could no longer print US Air boarding passes had to do with a faulty computer link in which Winair was putting the wrong seat assignments on the US Air tickets. Whether that's the real story, I have no idea. US Air and American are going to start merging operations at some point, making the future determination of their relationship with Winair even more unpredictable. I'd say right now that there's no way to give a definitive answer to your question. I've already bought some tickets for next year, and I'm buying US Air and Winair together again in hopes that this issue gets resolved before next winter.
Everything else about my experience with Winair's operations this past winter has been very good. We've been put on earlier than scheduled Winair flights on all six segments.
The checking bags all the way through to SBH sounds like a big plus for booking US Air - Winair. In a way I wish we had done that, but the cost of the Winair flights for us was going to be higher than St. Barth Commuter. Not a problem on the way home, as we won't be checking anything then.
LindaP
Senior Insider
Tim, I just saw your post about the kiosk near the Transfer desk being inoperative ......I wonder how long it's been like that.....because last year I tried to use it also; and I couldn't get it to work. Luckily for me, I saw Rinaldo, from Premium IV, whom we know by using their services, and he took my passport , and went upstairs and got my ticket so I didn't have to go back out through security. Big plus knowing someone! And a credit to Premium IV, and their staff.
But, yes, Andy, it will be interesting with the merger.
But, yes, Andy, it will be interesting with the merger.
We will be flying in May on USAir DCA-CLT-SXM then St. Barth Commuter SXM-SBH. We will be doing the reverse on the return. We are planning on carry on and have only 90 for the return connection in SXM. Last year I was able to print my USAir boarding pass using the kiosk at the in transit desk. If the kiosk doesn't work does anyone know of any other options other than going out thru security at SXM?
KevinS
Senior Insider
Hire a VIP service to expedite you through the Immigration/Checkin/Security process.
andynap
Senior Insider
Yes- starting 24 hours before. I do it all the time.
SBCommuter
SBH Insider
Andi, you could send me a private message with your USAIR booking reference a day before your departure, and I could print the boarding passes for you (If you fill all passport information for your departure, it will be ok for your return).
You could pick-up your USAir boarding pass during the check-in at St Barth Commuter desk.
Michael
Michael
Thank you so much that would be wonderful. I will be sure to send you a PM with the information.
Merci!
Andrea
