the first of this June, we flew out of STT...to MIA ...to LAX via American Airlines. ( after two weeks of bare boat sailing the BVI .)

We were told to be there THREE HOURS EARLY........at STT for the flights to MIA , an on to LAX.

We did exactly that, and the lines were horrendous....never in all my flying world wide have I witnessed such long, long waits......And I mean bloody long .

Fist was checking in at the check in desk. We were checking the baggage through., at AA....just two familes ahead of us, with tons of luggage, That took a long time. There was just two of us out check in was fairly quick..

Next was Customs and Immigration, more long winding line, after winding lines. More long , long waits. We were flying American.

Then baggage ( another long line ) .....we to tote or roll our bags with us, and finally came to where we could load them on a conveyor

Then TSA......more long lines.

I am glad we planned on three hours, since after all that chaos of two hours plus we made with all speed to the terminal bar and found the last two empty seats . Life was good, all was well. They were going to let
me back into the mainland USA....

Now, here is the positive side of that debacle.....

We used to fly into EIS.....after an RON at Puerto Rico. We both are pilots and like flying on the twin cessnas, ( I usually talk with the capt, and he lets me ride in the right seat in the cockpit.) The flight was about 45 minutes to LIH..
Last time for that program was a few months pre Irma..about $ 1400.00 for the both of us round trip. That is a good amount of dinners, drinks, and good times. No more puerto rico, no more cape air.

This year, we decided to fly into St. Thomas from MIA, and take the ferry for $ 60.00 R/T. Easy stuff. . Running that savings of many yankee dollars thru my mind, it was easier to be relaxed
with hassels of the STT Thomas line delays leaving St Thomas for he mainland..

That was just a couple of weeks ago,