USVI-On-Line

We are taking Cape Air and I am wondering about luggage. We may have 1-2 checked bags (one will be a cooler) and our carry ons. How much luggage can you take? We are flying into San Juan on AA with a one hour layover. Is Cape Air at the other end of the airport and do we have to collect our luggage or do they transfer it?

Secondly we booked one extra day and thinking about staying at Concordia or a Maho studio when we arrive. What kind of refrigeration is available? I see that the studios have a full size refrigerator but I am not sure about the tents. I think some have coolers and some have small refrigerators depending on where you stay?

Thanks a bunch!

You'll get a a slightly larger dorm size refrigerator that sits on the kitchen counter at Harmony Studios. The cottage tents have a large ice chest, you buy your bagged ice at the Maho Store.

I think that luggage transfer happens only if they have a "code share" agreement with your other carrier to STJ.
The Cessnas that Cape Air and others use have certain requirements for luggage and/or carry ons because some of those items are stored in the wings. They also size you up and tell you where to sit so as to balance the plane properly (!)

From Cape Air travel policy pdf available on their website:

• General – Free Bag Allowance
For each ticketed customer, Cape Air will transport free of charge: For Transport in the 9-Passenger Cessna 402 – “1 + 1 + 1” Policy
1 checked bag not to exceed 50 lbs or 62 linear inches plus 1 gate checked bag sized
to pass through TSA screening and which would fit into the overhead bin of a
connecting filght jet aircraft plus 1 personal wing item not to exceed 36 linear inches,
or 18” x 11” x 7”. The gate checked bag may be checked at the counter at locations
where there is no separate gate for boarding, or upon request. The Cessna 402
does not contain storage space under the seat or overhead in which to store carry-on
items. Accordingly, Cessna carry-on, or, “personal wing items”, must be carried to
this aircraft and stowed in the wing locker prior to boarding. Items too large or heavy
for the wing locker must be checked, at the counter, gate or plane-side, for transport
in the baggage compartments.

We stayed in a Concordia Studio in November and loved it! We only had a small (dorm size) frige, but it was enough for us.

Hope you have a great trip.

We have flown Cape Air at least twice from San Juan.

The first trip my bag didn't make it on to the plane. They sent it over on another flight. Mildly annoying as we only had two small bags and other travellers had tons of stuff.

The second trip, there was a problem with a cancelled flight and one bag went missing but for two days.

We would definately use Cape Air again as the flight times and cost are desirable but if I had advice to offer, mix/cross pack your bags so it one is delayed, you will all have clothing until it catches up to you.

I've seen comments on a number of boards about Cape Air delaying baggage and running late. The good news is they do have a lot of flights. They do not list AA as a code share partner, how did you book your ticket? It's likely you'll have to collect your bags and gate check them.

Lets coordinate the cooler exercise. I have a medium and large Polar Bear cooler. The medium is carryon size and we could pack it tight with goodies and skip the ice packs. You might be able to skip the cooler all together.

Getting in a day early for Halloween? Don't forget your costumes! Its a great night to be on island. We need to coordinate the fest!

Hey, we need a tag-line for our trip!

Cheers, RickG

We stayed in harmony suites at maho last year. Loved it. Refrig was the larger dorm size. Freezer didn't keep anything frozen, and refrig was only marginal on very hot days. No a/c in unit, and when it was hot the refrig was simply overworked.

Thanks for all the info. Flying in that little plane will be an experience for sure.

I booked through Priceline. I would have not even looked at the site but after going to AA site and only see 800 and above priced flights I was looking all over. They (Cape air) threw a monkey wrench in the plan by issuing paper tickets which means we may not be able to upgrade our flights on the AA portion. We are leaving a day early because AA eliminated the earlier arriving flights and we would not have gotten in until ~4:30 making it a little stressful to get the car barge.

Trip name huh? New thread, contest? We have a great idea for the trip too...

We stayed in a studio (not a tent) at Concordia. Had a small kitchen and full sized frig. It was ocean view and had a nice big porch overlooking Salt Pond. We loved it there.

RickG wrote:I've seen comments on a number of boards about Cape Air delaying baggage and running late. The good news is they do have a lot of flights. They do not list AA as a code share partner, how did you book your ticket? It's likely you'll have to collect your bags and gate check them.

Lets coordinate the cooler exercise. I have a medium and large Polar Bear cooler. The medium is carryon size and we could pack it tight with goodies and skip the ice packs. You might be able to skip the cooler all together.

Getting in a day early for Halloween? Don't forget your costumes! Its a great night to be on island. We need to coordinate the fest!

Hey, we need a tag-line for our trip!

Cheers, RickG

Hey Rick,

That sounds like a good idea. I think with 6 of us going, there should be no need for 3 coolers packed with grub. Let's plan to get the 6 of us together soon for some planning and overall merryment!!

Some Tagline Ideas....

Gang of 6
*edit to acronym, because I am too crude) GTFOOOW Tour
Ricky and the Buttfish?
The Get Red In Deep Water Tour (GRID W)
Allesandra Full Moon Fever
Too Loud For The Beach

MrB, I think we need something catchier.

Brain storming: blackout punch, allesandra, gang, Bs, notanlines, RickG, BigRed&Becky, SOTB view, <back>

Cheers, RickG