USVI-On-Line

AA has responded with this link:

<a href="http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformatio ... t=false</a>

They also responded to me with a personal note - I am asking them if I have permission to post it (it came with a confidentiality notice).

I think the 4 hour thing may have started with the airport itself. But 2 hours definitely seem like enough.

jayseadee wrote:I'm thinking if we're cutting it close, porter service may be the way to go.

Rosi - we may be on the same flight as your friend. We are also leaving that Wednesday, but can't remember if we're connecting throught SJU or Miami.

You are leaving on Wed Nov 18? You should join us me and Denise and Maho Jim and Amy on Friday Nov 13. They are leaving the next day.
What time will you be catching a ferry?
I am thinking since my flight SPIRIT does not leavwe til 4:15p and I am carry on. I may just hang in Cruz Bay and catch a later ferry. That would be cool if Denise had some buddies to catch the ferry with.
Let me know. PM or post......thanks

Anthony,
I have no doubt that the four hour thing originated at the local airport. The web page says you have to check your bags one hour prior to departure at STT. The announcement at the airport basically means the ticket counter needs three hours to check in the average flight and meet that one hour deadline. Our friend, who lives here and works at the University, was on a flight to Puerto Rico. The bottom line was that she got in that line two hours prior to departure and wasn't allowed to check her bags because it took them an hour and a half for her to get to the counter. I don't have an axe to grind as I don't fly American but I can tell you for what ever reason the AA counter and there baggage policies here are whacked. I would hate to be a tourist with no other means to handle their bags stuck in this situation. At the very least a tourist in our friends situation would have been forced to throw away several hundred dollars worth of gifts and health and beauty aids or miss her flight. This is unacceptable customer service and does nothing to help those of us that make a living in tourism.
Frankly and I do hope AA is listening any charter guest that asks my opinion on flights will be told to avoid AA at all costs. I see constant posts about changed flights and travel times. One of the ladies in our office is flying to California in November and she just found out her return flight has been changed and she now has 15 minutes to make a connection in New York she misses that connection she spends the night in New York. By the way they didn't send her notification of the change she found it herself checking the reservation.
Jay

Another great reason for carryon only. We got there two hours early and the line was a mile long. Went to the self check kiosk, 10 minutes later we are thru customs. I wouldn't have wanted to be at the end of that line that's for sure. AA does seem to have some issues out of STT, we missed our connecting flights both times due to delays but all worked out ok in the end.