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222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
#221991
03/20/2020 06:17 AM
03/20/2020 06:17 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,549 Ohio
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DAILY HERALD ARTICLENo idea if this number is accurate or not but it is what the Daily Herald is reporting. The picture shows a line outside the airport and others have mentioned this but in my several times by or at the airport earlier this week, I saw no line other than at the outside kiosks. This made it appear there was a line to go inside but once inside, you could walk to your respective counter and get in line there. I am guessing the resorts compiled a list of guests needing to get out as several (including our group) reported getting a form asking for numbers and dates of outbound flights. Having followed this event closely and also having been personally involved in it, I have found a few discrepancies and flat out wrong information reported (in the Daily Herald) when compared to information the Prime Minister put out. Good luck to all of those still trying to get home.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#222010
03/20/2020 09:24 AM
03/20/2020 09:24 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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I think that number has got to be WAY low. And of course there are MANY accommodations that are not part of SHTA, so people staying at condos/etc aren't counted. Regarding the line, my GUESS might be that the line was for people trying to get on that Jet Blue flight yesterday, that they didn't announce till the last minute. And that number does not include the French side. another Daily Herald story
Last edited by Carol_Hill; 03/20/2020 09:31 AM.
Carol Hill
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#222015
03/20/2020 09:33 AM
03/20/2020 09:33 AM
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I read elsewhere that there were a lot of empty seats on some flight and I think it was the JetBlue. No idea if it was accurate. Yes, I thought 222 sounded low. That is basically a little over the capacity of a 757. If that is really the case, the airlines would not still be scheduling more flights in like they are.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#222020
03/20/2020 09:37 AM
03/20/2020 09:37 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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No way to know regarding the Jet Blue flight, except for someone who was on it. If it went home very empty, why are they bringing in another plane on the 22nd?
Carol Hill
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: bigkahona]
#222031
03/20/2020 09:50 AM
03/20/2020 09:50 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,549 Ohio
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Thanks for the information. Glad you got out.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: bigkahona]
#222034
03/20/2020 09:52 AM
03/20/2020 09:52 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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bigkahona--Some empty seats, or a lot? Glad you were able to get home.
Carol Hill
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: eightzerobits]
#222058
03/20/2020 11:58 AM
03/20/2020 11:58 AM
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Based on personal experience earlier this week, I would not trust any airline seat map or what an agent tells you. Until you are actually on the plane, in a seat and the plane is in the air would I feel comfortable with the accuracy of any information.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222060
03/20/2020 12:04 PM
03/20/2020 12:04 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Ed--Glad you are able to get out on Saturday, but Jet Blue did take out a plane yesterday and they have another one scheduled for Sunday, (albeit to NY, and not to FLL..)
Carol Hill
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222061
03/20/2020 12:04 PM
03/20/2020 12:04 PM
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Ed, JetBlue has scheduled a couple of "rescue" flights. Glad you have something lined up and thanks for checking back in.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#222063
03/20/2020 12:05 PM
03/20/2020 12:05 PM
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Probably wise to avoid NY if at all possible at this point. If no choice, I guess you go with it.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#222066
03/20/2020 12:08 PM
03/20/2020 12:08 PM
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Yep and almost the same comments! Glad Ed got something going.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222189
03/21/2020 06:47 AM
03/21/2020 06:47 AM
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And this was a reliable source you "heard" this from? Sorry, but I don't see the government of SXM doing this but I may be 100% wrong. AA also abruptly cancelled flights earlier in the week that left many scrambling and booking on Delta.
Delta seemed to have a better handle on things than the other airlines but they also had glitches, poor information at times, website not working properly and often showing different information that what counter agents were seeing and left people hanging as well. According to the flight attendant (Delta) on the flight I went out on, the SXM Delta "station manager" had a lot to do with "negotiating" with the SXM government and airport to get Delta flights in. I believe it was him I heard on the radio a day or so prior to leaving, discussing options and plans for Delta and some other airlines. Looks like I am going to have to be calling Delta in regard to the flight THEY cancelled (and I then cancelled so as to not be a "No show" just in case) as no credit of any sort is showing up yet.
Glad you have arrangements made.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222202
03/21/2020 08:08 AM
03/21/2020 08:08 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,583 St Maarten
BillandElaine
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Total BS. Why on earth would SXM pay for planes to take tourists off island? The rumors that abound here, and everywhere I expect, are crazy.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: BillandElaine]
#222204
03/21/2020 08:12 AM
03/21/2020 08:12 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Total BS. Why on earth would SXM pay for planes to take tourists off island? The rumors that abound here, and everywhere I expect, are crazy. My thoughts exactly. I found so many rumors, untruths, misinformation and people continue to believe them, spread them and add to and perpetuate a bad situation by thinking they have some "inside information" they "heard".
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222218
03/21/2020 08:56 AM
03/21/2020 08:56 AM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,705 Newtown, CT
kim
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We are out of here on Saturday afternoon. Was able to get an American flight. JetBlue still dong nothing for people with tickets on them. For such a usually great airline....they now SUCK. Talked to them on the phone a few times....the attitiude is a ''screw you" attitutde...we will refund your money...period. Will have to take this in consideration on future flights. Ed - that’s not true at all. I’ve been following this since word came out on island a week ago. They were slow to figure out how to manage it. But it was super easy to just book a new ticket online. The government said no flight as of 3/17. So we took the 3/16 flights. Then JB added other flights as did other airlines. You could Even book through the app on your phone easily. Still can. Everyone has to get away from the mentality that they first have to deal with their existing flight during an emergency. Just book - get home - then deal with it.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: kim]
#222221
03/21/2020 08:59 AM
03/21/2020 08:59 AM
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Thanks kim. A lot of this is TIMING and it applies to each and every airline. Another poster was just able to book on United to get out today as well.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#222225
03/21/2020 09:05 AM
03/21/2020 09:05 AM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,705 Newtown, CT
kim
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Thanks kim. A lot of this is TIMING and it applies to each and every airline. Another poster was just able to book on United to get out today as well. Exactly. And the other thing is during an emergency. Just get to the mainland US. Then take it from There. It may be costly. But once on US soil you can get a hotel and figure out your next flight. I always tell people to get to JFK. You can then fly from a handful of airlines and airports to get home. We got stranded in Baltimore when the microbursts hit the east coast. It was midnight and they finally let us off the plane. Stranded at BWI. why they didn’t take us to Dulles I don’t know. We got so angry to rented a car and drove to JFK where are car was!!!
Last edited by kim; 03/21/2020 09:05 AM.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: Bahston]
#222248
03/21/2020 10:39 AM
03/21/2020 10:39 AM
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Thanks. I hope no screw ups like the other day with allowing US Citizens on the flight.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222338
03/22/2020 06:09 AM
03/22/2020 06:09 AM
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No EdB, I lived it as well as I was on island. My wife also lived it as she was dealing with the local airport agents trying to make arrangements for me. Don't tell me I didn't live it! Perhaps you were not following TTOL? No I do not believe the SXM government paid JetBlue $1000 seat to come in. I believe your "reliable" from RI is full of it.
I do believe you were through the airport in 20 minutes as there are very few people flying and they have been getting people through quickly.
BTW, kim was on island also and had to scramble to get off after seeing what was going on.
Glad you got back to the US.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#222339
03/22/2020 06:37 AM
03/22/2020 06:37 AM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,288
PelicanPirate
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_ClipperThis is a story of a Pan Am flight on 2 Dec 1941 from San Francisco to Honolulu. Long story short, they never made it and had to circumnavigate the globe to get to US soil arriving unexpectedly aa Laguardia on 6 Jan 1942. Ruralcarrier and EdB and others ——- you made it back —- whewww! Now you know things not normal back here in the States. Get your supplies and stay home - you dont know what you got. And nobody wants it. Again, welcome back to a war.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222340
03/22/2020 07:01 AM
03/22/2020 07:01 AM
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,376
SXMWendell
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My experience of going through a hurricane on island was,
No electricity No food no water no gasoline no outside information ( radio,tv) no internet no airport no cc machines minimal cash blocked roads from debris Had to make a decision each day how far to search for food as only had 1/2 tank of gas, how far out to search had to have gas to get back to the villa and gas to search the next day if nothing was found.
Ed, you had options, lots of them, you chose to to use them. Mine zero for days.
I'd a paid any amount to get out of that situation.
Wendell
Last edited by SXMWendell; 03/22/2020 07:24 AM.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222358
03/22/2020 08:55 AM
03/22/2020 08:55 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Ed--Kim and JD both WERE there, along with lots of others here on TTOL. While we didn't live it, those of us here at home are pretty well aware of how everything is closed. This is a very traumatic situation for all of us, especially for those who were on island and are now, thankfully, home. Don't say that you have any kind of a corner on the market for trauma, though, because that just isn't true.
Carol Hill
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: EdB]
#222370
03/22/2020 09:38 AM
03/22/2020 09:38 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,583 St Maarten
BillandElaine
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We are very thankful for electricity, water and communication. Just imagine if you didn't know if flights were coming at all, no way to contact ANYONE, had no gas in your car to get to the store or airport, NOTHING on the shelves, another disaster headed your way and no way to get information about it. Take a chill pill and STOP SPREADING RUMORS!.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: BillandElaine]
#222372
03/22/2020 09:52 AM
03/22/2020 09:52 AM
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Correct. Wild rumors is the last thing needed during this ordeal. Good luck to you both in riding this out.
J.D.
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: BillandElaine]
#222374
03/22/2020 10:03 AM
03/22/2020 10:03 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Elaine--very true. We have electric, we have food, we have the internet, everyone needs to calm down. And best wishes to you.
Carol Hill
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#222377
03/22/2020 10:28 AM
03/22/2020 10:28 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,583 St Maarten
BillandElaine
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Thanks all. We're home, groceries in and our only movement will be Bill walking to Carrefour in Jordan village to refill perishables and perhaps a trip to the beach for a solitary swim. Stay safe, be well everyone.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#222379
03/22/2020 10:44 AM
03/22/2020 10:44 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649 Brookfield, CT.
pat
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Good to know our island friends are okay and hoping this situation is soon done for all of us.
Here or there, we’re all feeling the pain of this new order of things but all we can do is make the best of it. For those who had their trips shortened and those who will have them cancelled altogether, there will be other years and other trips but first we need to get through the pain of what’s happening now.
Prayers for all the families who have lost loved ones or who have had to deal with loved ones suffering, but at least we’re still pressing on.
We can do this people!
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: 222 Tourists on Dutch Side Still Trying to get Home
[Re: pat]
#222385
03/22/2020 10:57 AM
03/22/2020 10:57 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,583 St Maarten
BillandElaine
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My daughter and her family of 5 were supposed to arrive this week. That was canceled and we are upset but happy this happened BEFORE they got here. I had a trip to CT planned for a week later, that was canceled. I have another trip to CT end of June that is NOT canceled but can't imagine that it won't be.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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