No more 'Porter' short cut?

wink1134 · Post by **wink1134** » Fri May 04, 2007 10:30 am

A friend of mine that reads messages at another porter sent me a link. Look at what one of the more recent posts said. Anyone have any confirmation on this?

"Frank, you will probably be glad to know that on my last return trip i utilized the porter as usual, but the "cutting in line" has ceased. the porter now has to wait until you proceed through the line. airport management definitely needs some help in providing better customer service. i have missed flights standing in line.

Posted by: Rhonda | May 03, 2007 at 10:03 PM"

And I was really looking forward to this!

Xislandgirl · Post by **Xislandgirl** » Fri May 04, 2007 10:33 am

When we left on 4/20, the porters were waiting in line with people. There was no cutting in line.

In my opinion it is not fair that people with porters cut in line. Just because I don't want to pay someone to move my bags doesn't mean that my time is any less important than someone who wants to pay.

bobcside · Post by **bobcside** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:02 pm

I have had occassion to be in line and just when it was our turn, after 45 min or so, here comes this porter with 6 people and a huge cart full of luggage. We paitiently waited another 15 min for them to clear. Not very considerate in my book. If it was getting late, flight time wise, we would have had a problem.. Moral of the story; If you are getting ahead of everyone else, by whatever means, it just ain't right. It's one of those hooray for me and TS for you deals.. Most folks that are real late for their fights usually have themselves to blame so getting special treatment is BS. Just MHO of course.

Bug · Post by **Bug** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:04 pm

That would explain why when we came back on 4/28 the porters were only getting people that were already at the door to customs. By that time, no one was willing to pay them. That day, the line to customs went the entire length of the airport and back. People were trying to find Porters and couldn't. Now I understand what was going on!

wink1134 · Post by **wink1134** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:11 pm

wow, I'm really surprised by the responses I'm getting on this post.

I've never been to St. John and the only reason I even knew about the porter thing is from people on the forum that talked about how great they were.

Now I'm the bad guy for mentioning that I'd use them.

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:16 pm

No, I don't think its meant that way by others

GUILTY as charged

I used a porter too. But honestly with a young child in tow when the guy approaches and offers to help I say "YES!" I didn't realize until he came out the other side that we were cutting the line at all. I am not 100% sure how much of the line we cut. We still had to wait at customs of that I am sure. For me it was more of a matter of handing off all the luggage so while standing in line I wasn't trying to pull this bag, move that box, roll the kid and not lose my passport.

I'll still utilize them as I still see them as a big huge help even if I don't get to cut the line!

Xislandgirl · Post by **Xislandgirl** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:43 pm

WINK-I don't think that you are the bad guy at all. I think the system stinks.

We travel light, so I have my carry on and my one checked bag and never saw the need to pay someone to move them a few hundred feet for me. Like flip-flop said, she uses them because she wants to. I have no problem with that at all. That is why they have porters.

The people who use porters are not bad, the system is. If I only had 1 carry on bag (no need for a porter) why should I have to wait twice as long when someone who travels with 5 bags can pay someome to move to the front?

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:57 pm

So the airport/airlines management is savvy enough to stop the cutting in line via porter, but not smart enough to develop a more efficient system to reduce that line?! Seems like they're kinda missing the point. The goal is not just to make people in a long line feel better because no one cuts... the point is to move the line faster!

(Full disclosure: I was planning on using a porter as a way to spend less time in line!)

Xislandgirl · Post by **Xislandgirl** » Fri May 04, 2007 2:05 pm

chicagoans wrote:So the airport/airlines management is savvy enough to stop the cutting in line via porter, but not smart enough to develop a more efficient system to reduce that line?! Seems like they're kinda missing the point. The goal is not just to make people in a long line feel better because no one cuts... the point is to move the line faster!

I completely agree, the lines are the issue.

CShell1019 · Post by **CShell1019** » Fri May 04, 2007 5:42 pm

Actually the only folks that are gonna be hurting is the incomes of the porters. This was stopped, for awhile, but restarted it a couple of years ago. BTW, seems as tho since you can now check in on line and print the boarding passes the day before especially if you have no luggage, suppose you can go right to customs - ???? Just like doing curb-side check in at many airports (I happen to depart from EWR) where the porter charges $2 a bag (just started charging this year) and does it there right at curbside with no lines. What's the difference? Sure cuts down the lines for those who have to use 'em.

Diana2 · Post by **Diana2** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:24 pm

What if you use the check-in kiosk to check in your bags (we will check-in on-line the night before so we will have our boarding passes)? Do you have to wait in the whole line for your baggage tags??

bobcside · Post by **bobcside** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:06 am

Hey you guys, No offense intended at all. No-one likes the lines and people with issues, ie. Little ones, elderly or whatever should have assistance available. Curb side checkin with bags is intended to cut down line time and it works. Curb side agents do not go to the head of the Counter lines. I don't think STT will ever change. TOO small and TOO many people all at about the same time. Couple that with Island time and it's over. They should have farewell rum punch stands amongst the lines.. Best advise I can give is get there plenty early and chill out. Enjoy the show.. It's all part of the experience.

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:00 am

Hi Guys! I'm baaack! I'll post a trip report & pix later on, but I had to add to this thread. We left STT yesterday and we used the porter. The taxi driver asked if anyone needed a porter and thanks to this forum, I piped up a resounding YES! The porter took our luggage and put it on a cart and took us to the front of the line, handed us a customs form to fill out, then led us to security. She met us on the other side and checked our our luggage through for us. We were through it all and at the snack bar eating breakfast in about 15 min. flat!! We tipped her generously and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! No, I'm sorry if I sound crass, but EVERYONE has the opportunity to use the porter, and if they don't, then that's their tough luck. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Completely worth the tip we gave her.

Tina · Post by **Tina** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:18 am

What the airport needs to do is coordinate with the airlines so that all the flights don't leave at the same time. With only 2 flights a day, Useless Air always has it's two flights leaving within 1-2 hours of each other. With Island time, that just doesn't work when the lines get long, cause they don't know the meaning of stress!

friedcrabb · Post by **friedcrabb** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:03 pm

We just came back Saturday on the 4:35 flight to Atlanta, and used a porter for the first time. Went from downtown Charlotte Amalie to our gate in 1/2 hour! He was amazing. We stood briefly in the airline line, then he took our passports and got our boarding passes and customs form. Filled that out, and he took us to a special door where we were able to cut into a short short line for customs. Definitely worth every penny of the $20 we tipped him!

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