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Sunday departure from SXM

Posted By: RonDon

Sunday departure from SXM - 03/25/2019 09:18 PM

Our last morning in paradise began at 5:30 am with a brief shower that drove us inside from the lanai with our coffee. Later we ventured back out with more coffee, egg & cheese omelets, toast, and a fruit cup of sliced banana & pear topped with yogurt. Last of the leftovers.

Showered, packed then headed to airport for a 12:26 pm flight home. We arrived a little after 10 am and the line for Jet Blue was through the doors and outside. OH OH maybe we should have arrived earlier? It moved fairly quickly. No line at Immigration 2nd in line through in a minute. On to first waiting area where a few food vendors and shops are, to await our flight call so we could move downstairs to gate waiting room.

Plane boarded on time. We had to walk through gate #1 around corner down a path between orange cones to the waiting plane. We had to walk up stairs to plane. We were seated next to a JB Pilot who was , I think they call it "dead ending" or anyway returning to base. When he said he wondered why they had let us board I was confused. He then told us there was a computer problem that they had lost everything and had to re boot which would take time. Our 12:26 pm flight left at 1:05pm. Good thing we were flying direct. I doubt any connection could have been made.

Arrived Boston. Global line was larger than regular line so we breezed through with the pions, ha! Decided we don't need GE. Drive home easy.
Posted By: Kennys

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/25/2019 09:22 PM

Bless Folks and do have a good year .
Posted By: RonDon

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/25/2019 09:28 PM

Leslie, hope we didn't mess up with the car return.
Posted By: bigbobthib

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/25/2019 09:46 PM

Enjoyed your daily reports! Having stayed at BSV and Grand Case Beach Club I know first hand what paradise is!!!!
Posted By: RonDon

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/25/2019 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by bigbobthib
Enjoyed your daily reports! Having stayed at BSV and Grand Case Beach Club I know first hand what paradise is!!!!


Now that I've seen the upgrades at GCBC I'm not sure it would fill our need for paradise. We looked forward to staying there then Irma came. They wanted to re book us but they weren't sure when they would re open so we requested a refund of our deposit. We wanted to see what had been done so we lunched there last week.

The Sunset Cafe, cement now and sterile tables, plexiglass surround wasn't very quaint. The room upgrades no longer have a Caribbean feel, stainless steel appliances, modern furniture. The buildings facing Anguilla looked somehow different but I can't figure out the change. The buildings facing Grand Case Beach look the same outside.

They said the restaurant will re close in June to build a proper kitchen, they now work from a food truck.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/26/2019 12:13 AM

OK, thanks for the report. Glad you got home OK. Delays apparently are just a function of travel these days..
Posted By: the captain

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/27/2019 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by RonDon

for a 12:26 pm flight home. We arrived a little after 10 am and the line for Jet Blue was through the doors and outside.

We were seated next to a JB Pilot who was , I think they call it "dead ending" or anyway returning to base.

Global line was larger than regular line so we breezed through with the pions, ha! .


An hour and a half is cutting it close but YIKES, out the door? They really need to work out their staffing!

DeadHEADing pilots.......Jerry Garcia fans would never forget. wink

Im mixed on Global re-entry. Hit or miss....
Posted By: GaKaye

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/27/2019 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by the captain
[quote=RonDon]
for a 12:26 pm flight home. We arrived a little after 10 am and the line for Jet Blue was through the doors and outside.


An hour and a half is cutting it close but YIKES, out the door? They really need to work out their staffing!



They arrived at 10 for a 12:30 flight....2 1/2 hours....plenty of time.
Posted By: SurferMike

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/27/2019 10:31 PM

Dead heading is the correct term (it does sound Greatfull Deadish). Engineers here on the Long Island Railroad use the same term.
Posted By: SXMScubaman

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/27/2019 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by GaKaye
Originally Posted by the captain
[quote=RonDon]
for a 12:26 pm flight home. We arrived a little after 10 am and the line for Jet Blue was through the doors and outside.


An hour and a half is cutting it close but YIKES, out the door? They really need to work out their staffing!



They arrived at 10 for a 12:30 flight....2 1/2 hours....plenty of time.

That's what I thought to. Not sure where he came up with 1 1/2 hours.
Posted By: the captain

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 03/28/2019 01:51 AM

Don’t mind me, just total lack of sleep there.... 2.5 is completely legit and is what I should have aimed for as I felt 3 was too much! Sorry bout that!

SurferMike, I used to deadhead on the LIRR myself lol. Small world. Are you working there!? I left ...20 years ago. Seems like yesterday!
Posted By: Leagle49

Re: Sunday departure from SXM - 04/02/2019 11:53 AM

We departed last Sunday, March 31. We got to the airport about 10:20 for our 1:30 flight. United didn't open for about 15 minutes. We were 1st in line. We were at the gate 15 minutes later. We found seats in the lower departure area right next to our gate. The lower departure area was never more that 1/2 full. Had to be bused to the plane which is not great but hey... Not a bad experience at all.
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