TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Flight change dilemma

Okay friends - need some advice here. We are booked LAX/MIA/SJU/EIS - leaving 5/26 and arriving 5/27. All flights on AA with Seabourne codeshare on the last leg.

We get to SJU around 9:30ish and we were originally scheduled to leave on Seabourne around 11:30 a.m. but they have now canceled that flight and we are now not leaving until 4:40 p.m. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cloud.gif" alt="" />

We need to be provisioned and off the dock the next morning to get up to Leverick since we will be at the Poker Run fun on Sunday, 5/28.

It looks like there's a possibility that Air Sunshine could have a flight at 11:30 a.m. on 5/27 -- that being said....how realistic is that? I would just cancel our Seabourne portion of the flight and book tickets on AS but I'm not sure it's worth the risk.

Should we just suck it up and hang in PR for the day somewhere?

I checked Cape Air as well but their prices over $100 more than Air Sunshine ($175 each) per person...

Thoughts appreciated....thanks.

Change to fly LAX, MIA/STT..much easier from the West Coast..get Kevin to pick you up and get here much earlier..

agreed, hate SJU

Funny....right after I posted this, I started thinking "hmmm....I should just call American and reroute us...." - it will depend on what the add/collect fees are but I am going to try to do that this morning.....

I agree with ManPot - try and skip SJU altogether. Since they changed flight schedule you should be able to change to accommodate. That said, if you don't change the 11:30 AS seems certainly doable although more costly.

Have you added up the total cost of the entire trip. In many cases some work the travel into a pretzel to seemingly save a few dollars on the air portions leading to disruption and angst with the entire trip.

Sounds like my itinerary. Try leaving the on a 1225pm flight. You would get to sju midnight. Get a room and try a flight early 8am t next day to eis. Plenty of time to provision and get to Leverick for poker run. Might see you there.

Not our first time doing this but thanks...and it's quite a bit more than a "few dollars"...at least in our world.

It's going to be a great time - lots of TTOLers will be there! I wish we could change to that itin but I have to work Thursday, 5/26 and I wouldn't arrive and try to get off the dock on the same day (Saturday) - way too big a margin for error, especially with the airlines. If I can reroute us through STT and jump on the ferry, that's likely what we'll do. I just checked the one-ways into STT and they are unfortunately more expensive now than what I paid to fly all the way to Beef when we purchased in January.

Might be worth it to just pay $175/pp and fly Air Sunshine but I'll bug American Airlines first and see if they'll work with me. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Put on your Disney ears and threaten them with Mouse power..

hahahahaha - I actually just got off the phone with them - very nice agent changed us to a 9:00 a.m. LAX/MIA/SJU getting in that evening at 8ish - overnight SJU and then onto an 8:15 a.m. departure on Friday, 5/27...gets us to Beef at 9 a.m. - we'll just bang around for the day until we can get on board....or maybe I'll surprise Brian and try to get the boat a day earlier <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

Two years ago, a few out of our group took Air Sunshine. You should have no issues with the connection in PR. Note though, it was a little tricky finding the Air Sunshine "counter" and no one in the airport that my family asked had even heard of them (bad signage -- again two years ago so it could have changed). It is a very "island" airline (which is why connecting won't be an issue). My family had booked direct from PR to Tortola -- the pilot actually took them to Virgin Gorda first to "drop off some folks." Overall, it got them where they needed to be and the price and times worked well. Let me know if you want more info on the connection (I can ask family if they remember specific details about the location in the airport). Oh, and to make reservations you actually fax in your request... #oldschool!

Great! Glad it worked out for you!

I am in the same situation with my flight to EIS in June. I called AA last night and they said they can change the flight from EIS to STT without charge because it is an airline issue. I also plan to contact Kevin but not sure who to book for the ferry. Last time we used smith. What is your recommendation?

a flight change from EIS to STT... should that not generate a refund ?

Believe or not...the LAX/MIA/STT flight was pricing out HIGHER than what I paid for LAX/MIA/SJU/EIS. We just opted to leave earlier on Thursday and overnight at the little SJU airport...which I can certainly stand for 8 hours since we'll need to be up bright and early for the 8:15 a.m. on Seabourne.

Our original flight plan had us on an 11:30 a.m. Seabourne getting us to Beef around 12:15 p.m. and they have now eliminated that option - Seabourne only has the two flights in the earlier a.m. and the two late afternoon flights - nothing in between, even if you look at their own website.
If we did the change and flew into STT, the only realistic flight would get us on the ground at STT at 2:00 p.m. - we still wouldn't likely get to Tortola until after 4 - we really want to be there earlier that day and get everything done so we can be off the dock early on Saturday morning -- so we're just going to leave earlier on Thursday - hey, it means we're avoiding a red-eye too, which is always a good thing! And yes, I know the SJU Airport is not exactly the Ritz Carlton but we were fine there the last time we stayed.

Never, ever book the ferry in advance and never, ever buy a round trip ticket..each way hop on the first one gong..Kevin will know..

Yes, Kevin is great at getting you to whichever is the quickest ferry available - whether that means CA or RH -- just love him.

Of course...now there's the annoying dilemma of what to do all day since we can't really get on board until late afternoon....quality problems.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

Plenty of time for attitude adjustments !!!

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" />

I know, right? And...of course....I had to call the charter company anyway....so I found out our boat is actually available that day.....you know....if we want to start out a day early....or something like that....this would be one of the times I am happy my husband is not on TTOL <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

Surprise honey! I took the boat a day early! The cost? Oh honey, don't sweat things like that....we only live once...<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

I would negotiate with the charter company. If the boat is available anything they generate in terms of revenue is money to the good. They can't book another charter that day. I would ask for 50% off the normal daily rate.
G

Hmmm...not a bad thought, George - I wonder what the chances are on that one. She comes in from another charter on the 23rd and we get on board the 27th so you know they're not going to send her out....

Ask Abbey if the boat is available for early boarding. Unless they have a close turnaround they will let you let you stow your gear on board. We've been in as early as noon and been able to go aboard..get your provisioning done early then a nice dinner. You can ask if the dingy is available and run to Village Key.

Thanks, Rita! We might actually just take her the extra day and head out - she doesn't have shoreside so even though we're not paying for the sleepaboard....paying for the extra day and spending the night at Cooper or Marina Cay sounds a lot better <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> but we'll see!

So the dilemma has turned out nicely to be an extra day on the water !!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Love it when the best laid plans go so hard awry they come back around and gift you with an extra day.

Well...we had to pay a little for the gift....but I'm not complaining! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

attitude adjustment...lolllllllllllllll
ohhh, how that means different things coming from different places

ie/ as in I need one right this moment
lol