usvi-on-line
St Thomas Airport
St Thomas Airport
I know this question has been asked before but can someone tell me what the story is with getting a porter at the airpot? How does it help me and what would be the appropriate gratuity?
Also the airline made an announcement that we had to be there three hours before departure, is this really necessary or can we cut it a little closer?
Thnaks
Hugh
Also the airline made an announcement that we had to be there three hours before departure, is this really necessary or can we cut it a little closer?
Thnaks
Hugh
Our porter experiences:
The porter loads our bags on to a cart right at the curb. This is the last time we touch our bags until arriving at our home airport.
The porter takes our cash/CC (to pay for checked bags) and our passports, goes behind the counter and prints our boarding passes and luggage tags. At this time, we are standing off to the side. This part freaked our friends out (handing over $ and docs) and we assured them it is normal.
Basically, the porter checks you in, allowing you to avoid standing in the check-in line.
The porter wheels the baggage and we follow behind into the customs area. Every time but once, it seemed like we were directed to a dedicated customs line, meaning we didn't wait in the regular cattle pen.
After customs, the porter wheeled our luggage over to the security belts and directed us to the TSA line.
If using a porter, I think 2 hours would be enough time. We travel in high season, on Saturdays and Sundays and 2 hours, using a porter, was sufficient.
Ask the porter the per bag charge and add more tip on top of that as you see fit. My husband is in charge of the $ part of the transaction and I don't remember what he gives the porter.
The porter loads our bags on to a cart right at the curb. This is the last time we touch our bags until arriving at our home airport.
The porter takes our cash/CC (to pay for checked bags) and our passports, goes behind the counter and prints our boarding passes and luggage tags. At this time, we are standing off to the side. This part freaked our friends out (handing over $ and docs) and we assured them it is normal.
Basically, the porter checks you in, allowing you to avoid standing in the check-in line.
The porter wheels the baggage and we follow behind into the customs area. Every time but once, it seemed like we were directed to a dedicated customs line, meaning we didn't wait in the regular cattle pen.
After customs, the porter wheeled our luggage over to the security belts and directed us to the TSA line.
If using a porter, I think 2 hours would be enough time. We travel in high season, on Saturdays and Sundays and 2 hours, using a porter, was sufficient.
Ask the porter the per bag charge and add more tip on top of that as you see fit. My husband is in charge of the $ part of the transaction and I don't remember what he gives the porter.
If my memory serves me correctly, it was $4 per bag and she mentioned that tips above that were appreciated.
We had Daphne as our porter. She was polite, friendly and could lift our heavy bags as if they were empty.
The porter is the way to go if you are pressed for time and the airport is busy.
Splash
We had Daphne as our porter. She was polite, friendly and could lift our heavy bags as if they were empty.
The porter is the way to go if you are pressed for time and the airport is busy.
Splash
Life is like a river… you kind of just have to study it as it goes by.
We have used Daphne the past couple of trips.
The first time we used her, it was a day when USAir's computers were down (and maybe another airlines too) and the wait in the check-in line only was over 3 hours, people were spilled out into the drop off lanes.
As my grateful husband describes it "she parted the seas" and he will be forever loyal.
The first time we used her, it was a day when USAir's computers were down (and maybe another airlines too) and the wait in the check-in line only was over 3 hours, people were spilled out into the drop off lanes.
As my grateful husband describes it "she parted the seas" and he will be forever loyal.
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Jumbiegirl
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- Location: Holland, MI
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olivias dad
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:13 am
You don't usually need to book ahead of time, they are all standing around at the entrance waiting to help.
That said, when we came home last Saturday there were no porters to be found--they were all inside helping other people. I was really bummed because the lines were so long--they had the door to customs closed off and the line waiting to get in snaked all the way down the entire length of the terminal and doubled back on itself. I have never seen it like that in all my trips. It took us about 2.5 hours to get through the entire process. I heard some people talking that TSA was doing a work slowdown but I don't know if that is true or not.
That said, when we came home last Saturday there were no porters to be found--they were all inside helping other people. I was really bummed because the lines were so long--they had the door to customs closed off and the line waiting to get in snaked all the way down the entire length of the terminal and doubled back on itself. I have never seen it like that in all my trips. It took us about 2.5 hours to get through the entire process. I heard some people talking that TSA was doing a work slowdown but I don't know if that is true or not.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
Gosh...with threads like this, I wonder why?...Hmmmmmmmliamsaunt wrote:You don't usually need to book ahead of time, they are all standing around at the entrance waiting to help.
That said, when we came home last Saturday there were no porters to be found--they were all inside helping other people.
-Bert
The liver is evil, it must be punished!
