# St Barts Forums > Getting To St Barts Forum - Airlines, Ferry Service, Charters >  >  flight headaches AA

## TPunch42

Why does it really have to be so difficult???!? We had great flights on hold with AA and now only have headaches as they cancelled our connecting flight home through Charlotte which meant either a night in SXM or a night in Charlotte.  Instead we are reducing our trip and flying in and out of LA and spending our overnight with my mom.  Question though:  I am concerned that I have chosen another flight that could disappear again connecting in Charlotte.

Is AA reducing their USAir former flight schedule?  or are they just dropping flights that are not full? Am I at risk losing the same flight connecting to LAX.  At least returning through LAX there are other options if it does happen but it would be a way better day if they didn't cancel on us again.

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## cec1

When living in CA -- and even more recently -- I have often used an AA "red eye" flight out of LAX (as I recall, there was one at 10:30 PM & one at 11:55PM).  Both were non-stop to MIA, where I got a flight (about 10:30 - 11:00 AM, as I recall) to SXM, arriving there around 1 or 2 PM (depending on daylight savings time or not).  You might check to see if these flights are still available . . . they were totally reliable.

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## TPunch42

Its not the flight out that is the problem it's getting home.

Just found out there are no SB commuter flights on our new travel dates.  this is going from bad to worse.

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## cec1

Going home, I had a couple of choices -- SXM to MIA, CLT, or JFK . . . then a flight to LAX.  LAX arrival usually was about 11:30 PM.  Going through CLT was the worst -- it's what prompted me to get "Global Entry."  The flights out of SXM were, as I recall, about 2 PM.

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## shihadehs

From recent travel woes with American it seems like they have been eliminating their old UsAir connection hubs.....one being through Phoenix over Chrisrmas....our flight out of Philadelphia to Phoenix connecting to Reno got cancelled the morning of our departure...9 hours later through Dallas we finally made it....but I have to say after a letter of complaint we did get compensated for our woes....assuming connections through Charlotte might be experiencing the same thing...

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## H2O

AA cancelled our late afternoon flight from SXM to MIA and then put us on an earlier flight that was not compatible with our flight out of St. Barth.  Our only solution was to have AA put us on the only other late afternoon flight, which went to CLT.  We stayed the night in Charlotte and flew home the next day.  I'm not sure I will fly AA until it can work through this USAir issue.

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## cec1

I've had some good luck recently with Delta . . . I'd check its schedule.

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## leep75

AA has been doing the same to me on our flights for June. Originally I had booked a late night flight out of Ohare to Philly.  They cancelled the late night and put me on a 6:00 PM flight to Philly.  No big deal, other than I would have to leave work to make it to Chicago.  Then about two or three weeks later, they must have re-added the late night (10 PM) flight out of Ohare to Philly, but cancelled my return flight from Miami to Ohare and booked me on a late night flight to Ohare from Miami.....

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## BBT

> I've had some good luck recently with Delta . . . I'd check its schedule.



Agree for the first time in 22 years we are using delta and we fly delta every week. Schedules work and are convenient.

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## amyb

Our last trip was DELTA and it was just fine.

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## noel

I am "this" far away from 2,000,000 miles on AA and it's getting harder and harder to stay.
And AA will probably change the platinum benefits when I get there ....

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## TPunch42

Well we were able to switch over to Jet blue for our flight out but still at American Airlines mercy on our way home.  The flight does appear pretty full CLT to LAX and if they cancel that one there is another afternoon connection in SXM that goes through MIA but it gets us back at 12:12 AM.. So I think we will take our chances that they will keep the flight through Charlotte.  We are now traveling on the 3rd of July home so we will miss any 4th gatherings... I guess that's the price to pay for waiting so long to book. sigh...

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## BBT

> I am "this" far away from 2,000,000 miles on AA and it's getting harder and harder to stay.
> And AA will probably change the platinum benefits when I get there ....



I have 3,000,000 with Delta and I feel the exact same way

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## cec1

> . . . still at American Airlines mercy on our way home . . .



Do you have "Global Entry?"  If not, I recommend that you get it before you travel (you have time to do so).  I've flown the itinerary you're describing many times, and I found that the time of arrival at CLT coincided with two or three other "jumbo" flights arriving about the same time.  Immigration lines were the worst I've ever seen . . . anywhere.  Global Entry makes Immigration & Customs simple and fast.

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## dadto6

First time, we are going Delta as well in June.  Last trip on A/A was not good.

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## KevinS

DL ATL-SXM cannot be trusted during low season.  I've said before that in my opinion their published schedule is an estimation of an approximation of what they might like to fly.  Expect it to be pared back to a few days a week, if it hasn't already been pared back.

JFK-SXM appears to be more reliable.

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## BBT

> DL ATL-SXM cannot be trusted during low season.  I've said before that in my opinion their published schedule is an estimation of an approximation of what they might like to fly.  Expect it to be pared back to a few days a week, if it hasn't already been pared back.
> 
> JFK-SXM appears to be more reliable.



we are doing for both trips in May and June. If Mays a bust we are back to Jet B and Tradewinds. SBC filled up so fast this June and July we had to use Winair hadn't done that it years.

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## TPunch42

> Do you have "Global Entry?"  If not, I recommend that you get it before you travel (you have time to do so).  I've flown the itinerary you're describing many times, and I found that the time of arrival at CLT coincided with two or three other "jumbo" flights arriving about the same time.  Immigration lines were the worst I've ever seen . . . anywhere.  Global Entry makes Immigration & Customs simple and fast.



Do all members of your party need to have global entry to use it?

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## amyb

Each has his own...can't go thru on someone else's clearance.  Fingerprints you know.

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## KevinS

> we are doing for both trips in May and June. If Mays a bust we are back to Jet B and Tradewinds. SBC filled up so fast this June and July we had to use Winair hadn't done that it years.



Keep an eye on 'em. I've still got about 300K miles marooned with DL 'cause I can't trust them to SXM. I'm trying to use them up on trips throughout the Southeast.

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## TPunch42

> Each has his own...can't go thru on someone else's clearance.  Fingerprints you know.




Yea... that's what I figured.  With 4 of us I don't really want to spend the $.  Just 2 of us... maybe.  We travel carryon only and have priority status and seats at the front of the plane.  So we will  hustle when we get off and hopefully get ahead of at least our flight in customs.

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## BBT

> Yea... that's what I figured.  With 4 of us I don't really want to spend the $.  Just 2 of us... maybe.  We travel carryon only and have priority status and seats at the front of the plane.  So we will  hustle when we get off and hopefully get ahead of at least our flight in customs.



I have it so I don't know how this other new system works but I go out of NY JFK from overseas and I see there are some new kiosks that are automated clearance using only your passport. You may want to see how those work. The people move just as fast a GLobal Entry.  Hope we see you 6/30-7/17

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## BBT

> Keep an eye on 'em. I've still got about 300K miles marooned with DL 'cause I can't trust them to SXM. I'm trying to use them up on trips throughout the Southeast.



I check pretty much everyday since I book trips each week to 10 days. After I read this I checked and both flights had changed but fortunately each was 5 minutes earlier.

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## cec1

> With 4 of us I don't really want to spend the $.  Just 2 of us... maybe.



You might want to check with your credit card companies . . . some of them, at some level (American Ex, for example), will reimburse the fee you pay for Global Entry.

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## TPunch42

> You might want to check with your credit card companies . . . some of them, at some level (American Ex, for example), will reimburse the fee you pay for Global Entry.



Good to know... thanks I'll check it out

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## Caroline D

> Why does it really have to be so difficult???!? We had great flights on hold with AA and now only have headaches as they cancelled our connecting flight home through Charlotte which meant either a night in SXM or a night in Charlotte.  Instead we are reducing our trip and flying in and out of LA and spending our overnight with my mom.  Question though:  I am concerned that I have chosen another flight that could disappear again connecting in Charlotte.
> 
> Is AA reducing their USAir former flight schedule?  or are they just dropping flights that are not full? Am I at risk losing the same flight connecting to LAX.  At least returning through LAX there are other options if it does happen but it would be a way better day if they didn't cancel on us again.



We were booked on April 3rd to fly on AA from SXM to JFK. Our flight was canceled at the last minute (6am for the 2pm flight) and the reason given was aircraft maintenance. We call right away to get rebooked and the best they could offer was a flight 2 days later, transiting through Miami and arriving at 1am. I request a direct flight and was offered to fly 5 days later! Finally, we managed to get 3 separate seats 2 days later to Newark. Our child was crying because of not being able to sit together. We purchased the premium seats to get 2 seats next to each other at $241. The good news is that we were still in St-Barth when we found out. The bad news is that is cost us 2 nights at the hotel, food, changing fee for the Winair flight (120 euros), 2 days extra of car rental and the premium seats expense and of course the lost of revenues. AA did not offer any compensation as of yet. We are working on it. And my husband has reached the 2 million miles mark on AA. Really bad customer service.  Did they compensate you for their change?

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## TPunch42

> We were booked on April 3rd to fly on AA from SXM to JFK. Our flight was canceled at the last minute (6am for the 2pm flight) and the reason given was aircraft maintenance. We call right away to get rebooked and the best they could offer was a flight 2 days later, transiting through Miami and arriving at 1am. I request a direct flight and was offered to fly 5 days later! Finally, we managed to get 3 separate seats 2 days later to Newark. Our child was crying because of not being able to sit together. We purchased the premium seats to get 2 seats next to each other at $241. The good news is that we were still in St-Barth when we found out. The bad news is that is cost us 2 nights at the hotel, food, changing fee for the Winair flight (120 euros), 2 days extra of car rental and the premium seats expense and of course the lost of revenues. AA did not offer any compensation as of yet. We are working on it. And my husband has reached the 2 million miles mark on AA. Really bad customer service.  Did they compensate you for their change?



We only had the tickets on hold and realized the change before we booked but it meant changing all our dates of travel.  It ended up working out in our favor and while we are now flying in and out of LAX we ended up using less miles and a flying jetblue one way.  Remains to be seen if we will get home on time.  We often end up stuck somewhere.  Last year we spend an extra 24 hours in MIA which was only AA's fault because our luggage took so long to get over to customs and the lines were crazy long so we missed our connection.  Last year AA did give us a voucher for our overnight and our travelers insurance covered the rest.  Did you have travel insurance?  They would cover your overnight expenses if  you did..

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## KevinS

Sometimes you're better off arranging your own hotel and eating the cost. Ask Bart.

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## stbartshopper

On several occasions now, AA, out of the blue, switched flights on us from one day to the next. On one occasion they did not give us enough connecting time on international flights. When we called to ask what happened, they explained that their computers are programmed to look for the shortest connecting times and automatically switch when they find shorter ones. We were staying overnight with friends, with a 16 hour layover. AA switched us to a 1 hour connection and cancelled the overnight. Go figure!

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