TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Wheelchair service at SXM

Because there have been reports of terrible wheelchair service, I want to report that in early March 2022 the wheelchair service at SXM was really great. Waits for a chair were nonexistent. Thanks SXM for a job well done! Indeed service at Logan airport in Boston as well as Charlotte were both excellent as well.
Dave

dave--the wheelchair service at SXM has ALWAYS been excellent, in my experience. What has ALWAYS been TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIFIC, is the AA wheelchair service in Miami.

We also have had excellent wheelchair service in SXM from curb to plane coming home and plane to luggage carousel and then to curbside on arrival through all the different obstacles these days. I may be mistaken but I don’t believe the wheelchair porters have anything to do with the various carriers, in SXM or the States.

We haven’t had a lot of occasions to use the wc service but I will concur - AA arrival and wc pick-up in the Miami international arrivals area was the pits - so much so I think I wrote about it extensively in one of my trip reports.

Years ago I required wheelchair service in MIA. Was no problem. Maybe things have changed but don't anticipate to personally find out again.

Pat--I don't know about SXM, but wheelchair porters in MIAMI are definitely contracted with particular carriers. You can't just walk up to any wheelchair porter and have them provide you a wheelchair. It has to be done through the airline you are traveling on.

I could easily be mistaken. We had arranged the wc in advance with AA but I thought they wore a different logo on their vest. Could just have been the division of AA they worked with. But regardless, in SXM, RSW, HPN and LGA we have had excellent service each time. Only did MI once and it was the pits!

I don't know that they are AA employees, I doubt it, but there are definitely different people responsible for different airlines in Miami. As I was waiting by Miami baggage last time, totally worn out from the sh*t show by the wheelchair people, a porter came by and asked if I was ok. I just told him that I had had a horrible experience with the wheelchair people and his response was "American?" Just sayin'...

We always had excellent WC service in SXM, always waiting for us as we disembark an aircraft and get us through emigration in no time. Last November we had two of them arguing who is going to push the wheelchair and the second one said I will carry the luggage then and took it all way up to steps to the aircraft door.
Also EWR and PHL always provide a good service. Never used MIA service so can’t compare. Flying to Athens and Istanbul in July so will see how it is there.

Luda

Carol, i found the opposite two weeks ago on our coming to SXM. I have been having trouble walking distances the past year, and last year the walk in Miami killed me. My wife ordered a chair for me this year. After getting into the airport, we were told where the waiting section was for assistance, and within a couple of minutes my chariot appeared. Brought us right to the gate, and even asked if i needed assistance onto the plane, which i didn't need. Right before boarding the passengers, my name was called to come to the desk, and we and another couple were the first to board. I couldn't have found them more helpful. Will see if i get the same ''treatment'' on our return this Friday in MIA.

I hope your trip home is as good. Mine was absolutely the pits and this was after waiting over a half hour for the wc to arrive at the gate where I had deplaned and was waiting for it. They told me it would be at the end of the jetway waiting for me. And then the driver stopped to chat with people every couple of minutes and was no help at all with getting us through the lines snd luggage area. And after all that DH tipped her generously anyway.

Ed--I sincerely wish that you will receive great treatment when you arrive back in Miami. Perhaps things have changed since my last 4 trips into there, but I am not optimistic. Please post your experience.

I refuse to fly through Miami international it is the absolute worst airport internationally on returning to the states.

I'm not crazy about Miami in general, but we drive 3.5 hours there for the non-stop.

All my experiences going through MIA both ways has always been non eventful except for that time my passport was expired which wasn't their fault. .

Well, here is my experience from yesterday. While at the airport in SXM, Waited for about five minutes at the counter to get my ''chariot'' for the trip to the gate. Was amazed at how quiet the airport was. Zipped right trhough the two ''checkpoints, in the chair, and brought right to the gate downstairs, all within no more than five to ten minutes. There were no crowds. Got message that our plane was delayed for about half hour. No big deal. When time to take bus at the gate to the plane, i was called first, and escorted onto the bus. First one on the plane. Easy peasy. Flight was uneventful, and the pilot did a pretty good job to get us to MIA ahead of schedule. BUT, Miami being Miami, we sat on the plane after landing for about 40 minutes or so, waiting for a gate to go to. Then another ten minutes or so before they finally opened to the jetway for departure off plane. Got off plane no problem, walked up the jetway to find NO chair waiting for me. Did find a guy, that called someone, and got tracked down by this lovely women looking for me. Instead of that long walk, she brought me and my wife up an elevator, picked up the tram, and two stops later at passport control. There had to be a couple of thousand people waiting in lines, and maybe five or six open windows!!! There was a special window for wheelchair passengers, and within ten minutes made it through the line. The escort told us that the regular lines would have been a minimum of 2 to 2.5 hours to get through. Then onto the baggage carousel, brought outside and our ride home was there in less than five minutes. The gal that escorted me from plane to curb was wonderful, but whoever sends them to the plane didn't do their job as efficiently as they should have. it would've been a GREAT experience. In the scheme of things, it could've been worse.

Sand gravity took its toll this trip. I will get a report done soon, but not promising when. 49 weeks to our next trip to SXM. but who's counting. lol

As I said, I have always had wonderful service at SXM. Your experience at Miami is MILES better than my last. We waited over a half hour for our FIRST wheelchair ride, who took us to a dropping off point, where we waited about 20 minutes for a little shuttle ride, to our SECOND wheelchair ride. Fairly short line for wheelchair only, yes, but definitely over an hour from when they first let people off the plane. Perhaps I can hope that my experience in June will be better.;

Quick question, Do you pay fee for this service and what kind of tip do you normally give?

There is not technically a fee, but we always tip. We usually tip $10. One time in Atlanta (??? not sure), the wheelchair person had to go with us on a bus to a different terminal, as we got in so late at night, that the regular air tram wasn't running, so they were with us a long time, so tipped more.

The gal i had in Miami, as i stated was a fantastic lady. We usually tip 10, but this time she got twenty. She tried to make it easier for my wife walking with luggage also. After we picked up our two suitcases, she not only wheeled me, but also insisted on holding onto one of the suitcases also.