TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin What to expect at the airport

If anyone could relay the airport experience for departure that would be very helpful. Must we be there three hours prior?
Do we go in the main terminal? What to expect? Thanks so much.
Just got our internet back tonight.
carib cheers,
doctorj

Very easy.
There is a tent to sit at outside, until they are ready for your airline.
They check your passport at a little table there.

Then you go inside, get in line where they will take your suitcases.
Gave boarding passes.

Then security....into waiting area.

Something like that.

Hope it helps...

How long in advance does one need to be there?

Thank you.
Is there anything inside. Buying a lunch or anything? Is it necessary to be three hours early?
Again Thank you.
doctorj

They say 3 hours, but I think it depends on the day.
We didn't need that long at all, but I heard someone else say it was much longer on a weekend.
That area has to service many more people then.

Like I said above, I think it depends on the day.
We left on a Tuesday and it wasn't necessary to be there 3 hours early, but
with more planes, I'm sure the lines could get long.
I think it is better to be early--just in case.

It was comfortable inside the waiting area.

There are some booths inside selling food, liquer, and souvenirs.
A few for food.

three hours before??? there are not many flights in, so why that time limit... even two hours is probably too much... This is all red tape stuff, like really having to be at the airport two hours before flight? We have done this time and time again, and waited at the gate forever... what a waste... We do what is told and end up asking why??? We live far from airport, and have to travel to get there because have to worry about the two hours before thing??? Horrible...not needed, use common sense going and coming back. you will wait for sure.

Why? Because it's the rule for international flights. Two hours. Saturday is the busiest day.

Correct, and if/when a flight is missed by NOT being there at the designated time, you would likely hears lots of complaining. It also varies by airline but with an airport not really operating like normal, I would not take any chances.

TSA Guidelines

I did two hours and was okay. Had a good Chicken sandwich from Bacchus .

We returned May 2 on a 4:15 p.m. flight. Virtually no line but as others said, it depends on day and time. We could have arrived one hour before flight and been fine. The new entrance to the airport is at the roundabout. There was a small tent outside where you enter the departure/security area. There is limited food and drink inside but at least there is something. They have actually done a good job with facilities given the difficulties they are dealing with.

I agree, they have done a good job and the departure area is perfectly comfortable. What I can't figure out is how they are going to manage as the airlines add more flights. Flights are still very limited. What happens when things ramp up for the next busy season?

Scott

That's why the airlines haven't added more flights...it's not a lack of demand, the airport simply can't handle the traffic.

At least that's what a VP at American Airlines told me.

They probably can't handle many more flights, although AA have added one more daily flight later this year, they could handle bigger planes than the AirBus A319's that they are sending in now, same flights but more passengers would not be a major problem, and that is down to the airlines.

Starting later in June the plane from MIA is a bigger plane.

Thanks all,
Just didn’t know what to expect since the hurricane.
Back to reality today.
carib cheers,
doctorj

Maybe its not that easy but it seems really simple.....they just need a bigger temp building! I hope they get it sorted out soon because the island is moving along pretty fast getting things back open but the lack of better airport is going to cost everyone a lot of $$$$$ !!

Can you still check your bags early and come back later to go through security?

Anybody wanting info where to go at airport most times if you go to sxmairport.com a pop up occurs with diagram as to where the entrance is & other info.

Things will get dicey with that temporary airport if there is a hurricane. It takes 5 days to assemble the "airport" and 5 days to disassemble it. If a hurricane is coming it will have to come down.

And the problem is that 5 days out, you really will not be able to tell whether a hurricane is coming or not and they will need to keep it operational in order to let as many people as want to leave, to leave.

Just so, Carol. Although they do have excellent experience getting people in and out of the airport with no tent. Hope they keep the Dutch around through the season.

Really just a bad situation. And it looks to me that they may still be operating out of a tent for NEXT hurricane season. Is there anything going on as far as repair right now on the airport?

It's evident they are working on the roof. I understand most if not all of the inside has been gutted. I expect rebuilding will not commence until the roof is secure, there's no point. Sure hope everything is at least on order! It is quite difficult to see what, if anything, is going on inside as it's impossible to see inside from the road.

We drive through Maho almost every day and was shocked to read Casino Royale is opening soon. I would have guessed they hadn't started inside yet. But you just don't see it happening.

We went through yesterday and although temporary buildings we would give the staff two thumbs up. You wait outside in an open tent structure until your agent checks you and gives you coupons to go inside. They basically check off your name from a flight manifest. You then go through normal procedures and then you go to a steel framed tent area that has food, souvenir and drink vendors. You take a shuttle to your plane from there. We had no problems and actually got to NYC 45 minutes early by Jet Blue. That allowed us time to change flights and catch an earlier flight back to Maine.
Very cool.
carib cheers
doctorj

Yes, makes no sense to do anything until the roof is secure. Regarding Casino Royale, I had read in some publication they were going to be opening in June, I thought.

doctor or anyone else--Anyone know whether they are allowing people to check in and leave and come back or not?

Carol, I would have to say no they are not.

Once you get your little plastic cards from the printed out manifest (in the outdoor tent), you are basically into the system as it were. You then enter a tent and the security line is right next to the counter where you drop your luggage. Then it's screening and entry into the larger departure waiting area. THe restrooms are the trailer type porta-potties. Best air-conditioned part of the experience! lol

We returned with two cats that we are fostering until they can go to the SPCA in Virginia. Their owners are leaving SXM and returning to Europe because the state of the French side after Irma, and they could not take their pets with them.
They allowed the owners to come as far as the luggage drop with them. The little dudes have their own passports...so cute, pictures and all. And of course medical records and certifications which had to be presented at check-in.

Not sure there would be a purpose to dropping your luggage off any earlier than your flight. It's not like the old days that's for sure. Missed the Executive Lounge with snacks, wine, and WiFi!
We were through the whole process in 20 minutes, and that's with pets.

We've been here since Saturday and noticed they are working on the exterior a little bit but I'd be worried and wouldn't do much until after hurricane season also. Risk management it would be awful to spend there money and possibly lose it again this season.

We did notice they have almost completely fixed the radar dome this week on the control tower.

We didn’t try that but one of our friends went to departure and asked and they told her yes.
carib cheers
doctorj

Not sure about the security leaving luggage there?

We went through on the first day of the new departure tent in February, were told we could not leave once we had checked our luggage, may be different now that they have been operating for a while. Hope so

Exactly.

They could also end up on a different flight! lol

Given one flight per US Airline per day, it would have to end up on a different airline.

Yes, that's true, as of now. AA is starting from Charlotte, I think in November, but till then, one flight per day maximum per airline.

Very possible. The counters are not by airline. I was next to luggage going on a different airline. The agent just put our bags behind her. Other agent put someone elses bags next to them. They almost wheeled mine away as I was there.

Just heard from friends that tried to leave baggage and go out for breakfast. It wasn’t possible.
carib cheers,
doctorj

It sure is. After you check in and check your bags you can leave. One you go into the waiting room past security you have to stay. Just came back and that is the way it was.

There’re currently Two AA jets sitting at the terminal now!

One of those jets is Air France and it doesn't depart until tomorrow around 3:45 in the afternoon.