# St Barts Forums > St Barts Island Main Forum >  >  Flight Connection Question

## scotth

My daughter has had horrible luck with the main airlines from NYC to SXM changing their flight times on their upcoming trip.
Now she received another email from WinAir changing the time of their outgoing flight from SBH to SXM.
Looks like they now have a 40 minute window from landing in SXM to get their trip out of SXM.

She is getting the run around because unfortunately they booked the flight through eDreams.
WinAir is telling them they need to contact eDreams and eDreams wants to charge them $180 to change to an earlier flight.
I don't see any way around the BS.

So it's either pay the $180, or take a ferry and save $50, or roll the dice that they can get the luggage off of WinAir and check for the flight to NYC in 40 minutes.

Of course if they miss the flight out of SXM, they are going to be out more money and frustration to end a 2 week honeymoon.

Any thoughts?

We've been going since 2006 and never had to deal with this nonsense and I always leave more than 40 minutes.

Thanks in advance.


Scott

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## andynap

They will never make the flight going home in 40 minutes. They have to go thru the SXM security and immigration and even  with a concierge service  they won’t make it. The plane will close the doors with 20 or 30 minutes left anyway.

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## scotth

> They will never make the flight going home in 40 minutes. They have to go thru the SXM security and immigration and even  with a concierge service  they won’t make it. The plane will close the doors with 20 or 30 minutes left anyway.



Thanks - that's what I thought

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## phil62

I would contact Vincent at Premium IV and see if he can intercede with Winair, or perhaps suggest another solution. Andy is right about the 40 minute layover. It's much too tight.

Phil

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## scotth

> I would contact Vincent at Premium IV and see if he can intercede with Winair, or perhaps suggest another solution. Andy is right about the 40 minute layover. It's much too tight.
> 
> Phil



I am not familiar with premium IV?

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## andynap



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## cec1

Premium IV is great . . . never disappoints!

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## scotth

She will have to pay $180 to change flight.
Does Premium have an "in" with Win Air that they might change her flight for free, but then I'm sure I have to pay Premium for their service.

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## Happycamper

It is no fun when a travel agent was happy to take your money but not happy to fix the issues, which is why we stopped using them years ago. (I know there are good ones.  We just don't have one.)

You've probably thought of all of these, but just to outline some of the options....

Ferry to Phillipsburg.  Ferry to Marigot. Fly to SXM.  Fly to SFG (Grand Case airport via St Barth Commuter.)  We have done them all.  

When ferrying, I prefer to take the evening ferry the day before the final flight home, do a one-nighter on St Martin which saves $$ on that night's accommodations and gives us a chance to explore the island a bit the morning of the last day.  For ease, we just use taxis.

When flying to SFG, I prefer to take an early morning flight on the fly home day and then visit Baie Rouge or Happy Bay, both of which are on the way, for a last beaching before the final flight.   Arrange for the taxi to keep your bags and have the same driver take you to SXM when your done.

The honeymooners probably don't 'want' to do any of these mad scrambles on their departure, and there is no doubt that St Barth is nicer, but St Martin doesn't exactly have cooties.

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## GMP62

> Premium IV is great . . . never disappoints!



Absolutely!! Vincent and team are worth their weight in gold and worth every penny. If there’s a solution, he will find it!

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## Tiffany

This is disappointing. When we’ve had US airlines change our flight times before, Winair has adjusted their flight accordingly at no charge. We forwarded them the US airline flight time change notification.  Sorry you are dealing with this.  

We always engage Premium IV when traveling there just in case stuff like this comes up.

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## Eve

We are taking the 7:00 am ferry and staying in Grand Case for 2 nights. Solves many problems

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## Jim A

> Any thoughts?



Pay the $180. They are going for two weeks so in the grand scheme of things it's not the end of the world. No one likes to waste money, but why worry about missing the flight and being in a really bad situation the entire time if you have an "out" even if it is a somewhat costly one. Better to pay and enjoy their honeymoon. 10 years from now they won't remember the $180 but will remember if they get stranded at the airport. The other alternative is see what your options are to cancel and rebook. Maybe SBC has a flight that day. If they can get a credit for a future trip if they cancel it could work out better to do so. This is why I never use third parties for booking airfare. When something goes wrong I don't want everyone else pointing at each other. Premium IV could work their magic and get them on the flight but they'd have to pay them and still have no guarantee. I hope it works out for them.

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## davesmom

Premium IV was the best "travel" money we ever spent for such a short time; total bliss without concerning yourself for your luggage (I am a notorious overpacker, but who wouldn't want to bring as much as you can home from SBH?!!).  Vincent and Co. are the nicest people and I have to write them today to arrange our passage through SXM and back.  We got totally spoiled.  SBC never works for us as coming from so far/arriving so late, there are not enough flights to meet us, so Vincent makes sure we are taken care of with Winair.   I wish SXM had some better food while you wait..the Domino's pizza is to die FROM, so upon returning to SXM, you might consider bringing something from SBH if we are allowed to bring something into SXM (I have never checked.)  Wishing scotth the best for your kids.  We are just praying that DL does not mess with our times as did AA last time in Feb...

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## Happycamper

_"I wish SXM had some better food while you wait..the Domino's pizza is to die FROM"_

Johney Burger in the SXM departure area always has a long line, but well worth the wait.

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## davesmom

> _"I wish SXM had some better food while you wait..the Domino's pizza is to die FROM"_
> 
> Johney Burger in the SXM departure area always has a long line, but well worth the wait.



Nice to know!  We did see them last time, so we appreciate your advice.  The burger choices were quite nice and that is the last time I let DD choose my lunch..lost his privileges LOL!

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