Traveltalkonline.com Forums


BVI Cruise Schedule TTOL Sponsors BVI Travel Calendar
Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics38,433
Posts310,110
Members26,538
Most Online2,218
Jan 21st, 2020
Top Posters(30 Days)
RonDon 115
pat 42
jazzgal 40
Todd 40
Member Spotlight
louismcc
louismcc
Houston, Texas
Posts: 833
Joined: October 2000
Show All Member Profiles 
Today's Birthdays
LONGISLANDSHARON, Sca2la
Who's Online Now
2 registered members (MrEZgoin, 1 invisible), 1,037 guests, and 71 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
SJU to EIS connecting #193063
04/23/2019 02:27 PM
04/23/2019 02:27 PM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
SonOfTheSea Offline OP
Traveler
SonOfTheSea  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
Can anyone provide any detail or insight to help me know what to expect when my group travels through San Juan (SJU) en route to Tortola (EIS)? We are all flying on two separate reservations, one Southwest flight to SJU and then a separate reservation on Intercaribbean into EIS. Since our tickets and airlines do not code share, I'm trying to understand what we should expect. I've contacted Intercaribbean and I feel almost more confused afterwards, as the gentleman had a thick accent and I don't think either of us understood the other entirely.
Almost every person in my group is not checking a bag, so we are wondering what to do regarding checking in for Intercaribbean. It'd be great if we could simply just get off our Southwest flight and head straight to our IC gate to check in, but if my ears heard the IC customer service rep correctly, we will all need to go out to the front ticketing area to check in. The man on the phone also said we would need to check in 2 hours prior to departure, even though the IC website states mandatory flight closing is 60 minutes for international flights. I did notice that the IC website states that check-in "opens" 2 hours prior to depart time, so I'm wondering if maybe I have misunderstood him as saying we would actually need to check in 2 hours early. Perhaps I'm answering some of my own question as I write this, as I guess it appears that check-in opens 2 hours prior and closes 1 hour prior to departure, so we basically have a 1-hour window to get it done. Interested to know any experience some of you may have, as we have never booked flights on separate reservations in the past. We arrive at SJU 3:30pm and depart for EIS at 6pm, but a couple others in our group who are traveling separately arrive at SJU at 12:40 and have a 2:15 flight to EIS. I'm more worried about them for the most part!
Thanks :-)

BVI Sponsors
Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193064
04/23/2019 02:36 PM
04/23/2019 02:36 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
Traveler
JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
I do this on Delta all the time. You should not have an issue.

For the people with carry-on, you can in fact go directly to the gate which is in the D concourse. There are no services in that concourse so grab food or drinks before hand. I have checked in as last as 30 minutes before the flight but they were not happy about it. An hour is good timing.

If you do have checked bags, you will need to exit security to pick them up, check in at the IC ticket counter, and clear security again. I use TSA Pre-check and never spend more than 5 minutes in SJU security. The check in process can be very slow at the ticket counter but as long as you're in line pretty 60 minutes before the flight they are pretty forgiving.

FYI - depending on your tastes, there is a great wine bar with good food at the beginning of B concourse or a Margaritaville in the same location. Both pretty good options!


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: JasonHelmbrecht] #193065
04/23/2019 02:44 PM
04/23/2019 02:44 PM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
SonOfTheSea Offline OP
Traveler
SonOfTheSea  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
Thanks Jason. Has your experience been with Intercaribbean as well?

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193070
04/23/2019 03:41 PM
04/23/2019 03:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
B
bailau Offline
Traveler
bailau  Offline
Traveler
B
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
Took 9 down in Feb '19 over 2 days incoming and 1 leaving Jet Blue DCA - SJU - EIS with the last leg being IC. No issues with any of the 3 trips other than long walk to D gate past Margaritaville restaurant. There is a Margaritaville bar just down from IC's D gate to help you pass the time as Jason indicates

Did IC in October '18 no issues. The only change in Feb '19 (DEPARTING EIS to SJU) is that IC took carry on bags at check in instead of having us walk through security with them

We did carry on...

I have not seen them (or Seaborne) close the gate with an hour left even though they say that.

There is a long thread on this connection maybe a month or 2 ago if you search

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193071
04/23/2019 03:42 PM
04/23/2019 03:42 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
Traveler
JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Originally Posted by SonOfTheSea
Thanks Jason. Has your experience been with Intercaribbean as well?

Yes. I fly either IC or Seaborne and the experience is similar.


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193072
04/23/2019 03:44 PM
04/23/2019 03:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
B
bailau Offline
Traveler
bailau  Offline
Traveler
B
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
here is link...this may help

http://www.traveltalkonline.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/186392/Searchpage/1/Main/27615/Words/%2BSJU+%2Bto+%2BEIS/Search/true/re-sju-esi-question-advice-needed-thanks.html#Post186392

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: bailau] #193080
04/23/2019 04:41 PM
04/23/2019 04:41 PM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
SonOfTheSea Offline OP
Traveler
SonOfTheSea  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
Originally Posted by bailau
here is link...this may help

http://www.traveltalkonline.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/186392/Searchpage/1/Main/27615/Words/%2BSJU+%2Bto+%2BEIS/Search/true/re-sju-esi-question-advice-needed-thanks.html#Post186392


Thank you. I remember seeing that thread at the time. I think my main concern on this one was if we really do need to go out to the ticketing counter to check in or if we could just proceed with our carry-ons straight to the gate and check in there.

I wonder if online check-in is possible? The website has a tab to check in online but for my flight it says it isn't available at that location. We are still a couple weeks out though, so perhaps it's possible within 24 hours like other airlines?

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193084
04/23/2019 04:57 PM
04/23/2019 04:57 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
Traveler
JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Originally Posted by SonOfTheSea

I wonder if online check-in is possible? The website has a tab to check in online but for my flight it says it isn't available at that location. We are still a couple weeks out though, so perhaps it's possible within 24 hours like other airlines?


I have not gotten online check-in to work with IC. They appear to use the same portal as Seaborne and I can check-in on Seaborne but not on IC. Even when I can check-in with Seaborne it doesn't save anything because you still have to present yourself and a valid passport at the gate to be issued a boarding pass. The difference is Seaborne lets me pick my seat in advance. With IC, the planes are all open seating.


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: JasonHelmbrecht] #193086
04/23/2019 05:22 PM
04/23/2019 05:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
B
bailau Offline
Traveler
bailau  Offline
Traveler
B
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
Originally Posted by JasonHelmbrecht
Originally Posted by SonOfTheSea

I wonder if online check-in is possible? The website has a tab to check in online but for my flight it says it isn't available at that location. We are still a couple weeks out though, so perhaps it's possible within 24 hours like other airlines?


I have not gotten online check-in to work with IC. They appear to use the same portal as Seaborne and I can check-in on Seaborne but not on IC. Even when I can check-in with Seaborne it doesn't save anything because you still have to present yourself and a valid passport at the gate to be issued a boarding pass. The difference is Seaborne lets me pick my seat in advance. With IC, the planes are all open seating.


Same here...have never been able to online check in

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193090
04/23/2019 05:31 PM
04/23/2019 05:31 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 245
Charlotte
K
Knotthead Offline
Traveler
Knotthead  Offline
Traveler
K
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 245
Charlotte
You do not need to go out to the ticketing counter with carry on luggage. Just walk straight down to the gate. You will need your passport and several times they have asked to see my credit card that I used to purchase the tickets. They had some serious scheduling problems back in October but we have used them 3 times since December and flights have been right on time. On one flight my connection time was scheduled for less than an hour between flights. I called IC customer service and she sent a message to the gate ahead of time to alert them that we would be tight. All worked well.

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193249
04/25/2019 07:54 PM
04/25/2019 07:54 PM
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 58
S
stlmco Offline
Traveler
stlmco  Offline
Traveler
S
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 58
Same experience as everyone else when flying Southwest and interCaribbean. BUT... you need to convince everyone in your group to do CARRY ON ONLY. If they do check and there is a delay in them getting their luggage off the carousel and up to the IC ticket counter they could be in trouble. The ticket counter outside security closes one hour before the flight... period. If you arrive after that you WILL NOT be able to check your luggage and WILL miss your flight. This happened to a group who was traveling on the same IC flight as us in January. One person in the group had to claim luggage and got to the ticket counter less than an hour before the flight. The people in the group who had carry on only and were at the gate tried to convince the IC personnel to get someone to check their friends luggage at the ticket counter but to no avail. Best they could offer was a seat on the next flight, for which there was only one left.

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193256
04/25/2019 10:12 PM
04/25/2019 10:12 PM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
SonOfTheSea Offline OP
Traveler
SonOfTheSea  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
Thank you everyone for your feedback. I finally got a reply from Intercaribbean from an email I sent them last week, and they said anyone not checking a bag can proceed directly to the gate with no need to go to the front ticketing counter. They did clarify that obviously anyone checking a bag would have to retrieve it from baggage claim and then proceed to the ticket counter to check in, check their luggage, and proceed through security checkpoint.
They requested the booking confirmation numbers for everyone in our group, along with flight number and airline of their flights into SJU. They also asked to clarify who in our group would be checking luggage. They said they’d pass the information along to the San Juan team so they’d know to expect us. They also requested that everyone have their passport info uploaded into their reservation via the IC website in advance in order to expedite and ensure a smooth check in once we arrive in SJU.
They sounded flexible and accommodating, and made a reasonable request that we just not wait til the last minute to get to the gate to check in. Hope this helps anyone else in their own travels!

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193274
04/26/2019 07:19 AM
04/26/2019 07:19 AM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
B
bailau Offline
Traveler
bailau  Offline
Traveler
B
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
cool...so your comment got me thinking. We only take carry on so I have never seen the ticket counter for IC or Seaborne. I was thinking people said they closed the "gate" and clearly they meant they close "ticket counter" 1 hour before. Sorry for my confusion.

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: SonOfTheSea] #193289
04/26/2019 09:23 AM
04/26/2019 09:23 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
S
sail445 Offline
Traveler
sail445  Offline
Traveler
S
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
I haven’t any experience with IC.
With Seaborne whether you check in your luggage or carry on they will give you the bags when you deplane at EIS and it won’t be necessary to collect your bags at the baggage claim.

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: sail445] #193298
04/26/2019 11:01 AM
04/26/2019 11:01 AM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
SonOfTheSea Offline OP
Traveler
SonOfTheSea  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 88
Tampa Bay, Florida
Originally Posted by sail445
I haven’t any experience with IC.
With Seaborne whether you check in your luggage or carry on they will give you the bags when you deplane at EIS and it won’t be necessary to collect your bags at the baggage claim.


I assume this would be true for IC at EIS also. But to clarify, I meant anyone arriving on our Southwest flight (who checked a bag) into SJU would need to get their bags from baggage claim and return to ticketing counter to check in.

Re: SJU to EIS connecting [Re: stlmco] #193756
05/01/2019 07:43 AM
05/01/2019 07:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 37
D
Donald Offline
Traveler
Donald  Offline
Traveler
D
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 37
I flew IC from EIS to SJU in February and while this doesn't speak to your original question, one big difference was re: carry on.

The major airlines usually say you can carry on one bag and one personal item. With IC you could only carry on one item. I travel with a small pack and a guitar which is fine for the major airlines (Air Canada, United, American) but IC made me check one so I was scrambling at the counter to move meds, car keys into guitar case (I wasn't going to check soft shelled cases guitar).

The flight was half full and the guitar wouldn't fit in overhead so the attendant said put it in empty seat beside me which I don't think would fly (pun intended) back home as it is safety hazard if plane crashes.

FYI Seaborne let me take 2 items to plane but one was sky checked so I picked it up at EIS ramp.

Don


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.1