Posted By: SXMFOX
Traveling to SXM part one - 06/02/2021 11:38 PM
So this is the story. We planned a last min trip, started on Friday afternoon for a early Monday morning departure from ILM with a connection in CTL. We went and had our COVID test at CVS late afternoon on Friday, and were assured the results would be back in 1 to 2 days. When there, we were asked if it was for travel and we replied yes, she gave us a thumbs up and said that we would have our negative results back soon. So how did she know we would test negative? I guess because we were traveling.
Step two. Then we made arrangements for lodging and secured all that. Next we checked for airfare and secured that with air miles, 15,000 apiece each way, not bad.
Easy peasy, right so far.
Fast forward, woke up early on Sunday morning and received our COVID test results from CVS. All negative results, imagine that! (Shocker) then we navigated the Sxm portal to upload our information. We used the same email address for both applications and made mistakes on one of them so it would stand out. Once summited the applications and paid for our FHONY healthcare at $30.00 a pop, we received a Pre-Approveal notice via email from the ministry of health from Sxm within 30 mins from submission! What a shocker!
Step three. Woke up early and drove to Wilmington for our first flight. Arrived at the airport for check-in. Simple right. Spoke to the aging desk agent and submitted all of our paperwork to her, she denied us travel! Imagine that. After many countless attempts at her looking at her computer screen and asking us where the bar code was and showing her the countless emails with Sxm Gov, she finally called over a supervisor, (now all of this being said, we were not worried in the least. We always take matters into our on hands and do not allow others to lead us around by our nose). Her major complaint was that our paperwork said PRE-APPROVED, NOT APPROVED! We really didn’t understand that she didn’t know the distinction between the two. Finally after her supervisor looked at the paperwork (for one second) he nodded to her and said that we were ok to travel. The world of COVID!
Step three. So we finally arrived in CLT, our connection flight to Sxm and thinking surely they will re-check all of our paperwork. What a laugh. They just wanted our passport and ticket, and on the plane you go! Good for us, bad for others.
SO YOU SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING. We want this to be as educational as possible and pictures will follow in the next segment. This will clear the air for everyone, hopefully.
Step two. Then we made arrangements for lodging and secured all that. Next we checked for airfare and secured that with air miles, 15,000 apiece each way, not bad.
Easy peasy, right so far.
Fast forward, woke up early on Sunday morning and received our COVID test results from CVS. All negative results, imagine that! (Shocker) then we navigated the Sxm portal to upload our information. We used the same email address for both applications and made mistakes on one of them so it would stand out. Once summited the applications and paid for our FHONY healthcare at $30.00 a pop, we received a Pre-Approveal notice via email from the ministry of health from Sxm within 30 mins from submission! What a shocker!
Step three. Woke up early and drove to Wilmington for our first flight. Arrived at the airport for check-in. Simple right. Spoke to the aging desk agent and submitted all of our paperwork to her, she denied us travel! Imagine that. After many countless attempts at her looking at her computer screen and asking us where the bar code was and showing her the countless emails with Sxm Gov, she finally called over a supervisor, (now all of this being said, we were not worried in the least. We always take matters into our on hands and do not allow others to lead us around by our nose). Her major complaint was that our paperwork said PRE-APPROVED, NOT APPROVED! We really didn’t understand that she didn’t know the distinction between the two. Finally after her supervisor looked at the paperwork (for one second) he nodded to her and said that we were ok to travel. The world of COVID!
Step three. So we finally arrived in CLT, our connection flight to Sxm and thinking surely they will re-check all of our paperwork. What a laugh. They just wanted our passport and ticket, and on the plane you go! Good for us, bad for others.
SO YOU SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING. We want this to be as educational as possible and pictures will follow in the next segment. This will clear the air for everyone, hopefully.
