luggage restrictions by air

[cattyjane]

Do any of you book the flight from the departure city directly to Saba through the booking agent? If so, this would mean that we would be taking the US flight to St Marten, then taking Winair to Saba. With the regards of the luggage, if we pack according to the US flight regulations, would we run into problems when we change to Winair flight?

[awelchnp]

My husband traveled back and forth several times while I was on Saba and used that process. As long as you abide by US Airways rules you shouldn't have any trouble. You can also check your bags all the way through to saba even if you buy your ticket seperately......If you get a check in agent that knows what they are doing. If they say they can't, ask for a supervisor. Sometimes we did have to agree to a "voluntary seperation" from our bags because of the close connection time @ sxm. Even with that there was only one time that our bags didn't make it on the same winair flight as us. (it came on the next flight that time) If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

p.s. Even if your bags are overweight for winair standards, if they are checked through US Air you won't be charged extra by winair.

[JLea]

My husband traveled back and forth several times while I was on Saba and used that process. As long as you abide by US Airways rules you shouldn't have any trouble. You can also check your bags all the way through to saba even if you buy your ticket seperately......If you get a check in agent that knows what they are doing. If they say they can't, ask for a supervisor. Sometimes we did have to agree to a "voluntary seperation" from our bags because of the close connection time @ sxm. Even with that there was only one time that our bags didn't make it on the same winair flight as us. (it came on the next flight that time) If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

p.s. Even if your bags are overweight for winair standards, if they are checked through US Air you won't be charged extra by winair.

Winair has recently and drastically changed their rules. I will find the brochure and post the information here. One major thing is that they tell us that Winair no longer has an interline baggage agreement with ANY airline - thus, you supposedly can not check your luggage through anymore. (I'm still going to try when I go home on Wednesday.)

Things can change once people leave the island to move on to clinicals...

Anyway, I'll find the Winair info and post it as soon as I can.

[aspiringmedstudent]

The immigration and baggage claim through SXM is pretty easy, especially after you've been to Saba and get your temporary resident paper. From then on, you can go through the Netherlands Antilles line for immigration and it's a lot quicker!

Sometimes the bags can take a while to get to the belts and the lines in SXM to recheck can be long. Just make sure that you have _at least_ two hours before your arriving SX flight and your flight to Saba.

Even if you have a long connection time, Win Air may decide, "Nah, we don't feel like flying the 5pm flight..." and they cancel it. It never happened to me, but it happened to several of my friends! Just be prepared to stay the night in SXM. I always left 2 days earlier exactly for that reason - plus I liked having a day off for shopping and getting ready for classes.

Keep the Dawn II and Edge phone numbers with you too, because you if you miss your flight or its cancelled, you might get lucky and get a seat on evening boat.

[raptors]

I was just about to book my flight now.

More opinions on this please?

Flying into SXM at 3:34pm
Leaving SXM to Saba 5:10pm

It'll be my first time going through this process.

Thanks in advance.

[raptors]

In terms of luggage fees/restrictions:

US airways-
http://www.usairways.com/awa/Content/traveltools/baggage/baggagepolicies.aspx
Checked baggage

Checked bags
Under 50 lbs/23 kg
51-70 lbs/23-32 kg (includes $50 weight fee)
71-100 lbs/32-45 kg (includes $100 weight fee)
Over 100 lbs/45 kg
First bag
$15*
$65*
$115*
Not accepted
Second bag
$25*
$75*
$125*
Not accepted
Third - ninth bag
$100*
$150*
$200*
Not accepted


Winair -
Fly winair (http://www.fly-winair.com/winair-tips.php)

Fly winair (http://www.fly-winair.com/faq.php)

DOMESTIC - SXM - SAB - EUX Checked bags
50 lbs/23kg or less
51-70 lbs/23-32kg
Oversized





First checked bag
Free

$40.00
$60.00
Second bag
$25.00

$65.00
$85.00
Third-Ninth bag
$50.00

$90.00
$105.00

There's more detailed information in those links.

[JLea]

I spoke face-to-face with the Winair agent in Statia yesterday afternoon and she gave me the brochure that I have attached as a .pdf to this post.

As of Monday, August 18, 2008 Winair once again has an interline baggage agreement with US Airways and Delta Airlines. They also codeshare with US Airways.

What this means is:

When you travel on US Airways or Delta from the US, bring a copy of your Winair itinerary with you to the airport. (You have to be travelling on Winair on the same day as your flight to Sint Maarten!) Tell the agent at the counter that you have a reservation with Winair and that you would like to check your bags all the way through. As awelchnp said, if you get an agent that knows what they are doing, you are OK. If not, ask for a supervisor.

The agent will look at your Winair itenerary and probably say "I don't know what to put for the airline code!" Nicely tell them that Winair's airline code is "WM." This means that if you are booked on Winair flight 509 from Sint Maarten to Saba, they would put "WM 509" on your baggage tag as your last segment from SXM to SAB. (SAB is the IATA code for Saba.) The final destination, written in big letters on your baggage tags, should read "SAB."

It should work to get your bags to Saba. HOWEVER, check the baggage claim area in Sint Maarten. More than once, one or more of my bags got put on the carousel instead of being staged for the Winair flight. If this happens, try to find someone from the airport to take the bag back to where it belongs. If you try to give your bag(s) to Winair in Sint Maarten, they will probably try to charge you for it!

If your bags don't show up in baggage claim in Sint Maarten, they will eventually show up in Saba.

Keep in mind that Winair flies DHC-6 Twin Otters from SXM to SAB... the airplane carries 19 passengers and not too much luggage. If your bags don't make it on the flight, it is because they don't want to have you and 18 of your closest friends going swimming. Relax, the bags will get to Saba eventually.

It is a good idea to pack clothes in all of your suitcases just in case one of your bags makes it with you!

On the way home, do the opposite... Take your US Airways or Delta itenerary to the Airport and ask Winair to check them through. The airport people in Saba are pretty good. Just be nice to them and they should be nice to you. If you see the tall bald headed guy at Swinging Doors, buy him a couple of drinks. He will become your friend and life will be easier at the airport!

Take a look at the attached file and you will see what Winair is charging for luggage now. What they don't tell you on the brochure is that your carry on - i.e. "laptop" can't weigh more than about 10 lbs. The people in Sint Maarten might make you check it. DON'T DO THAT! If they do, keep the laptop with you and give them your book bag.

If you are going to Statia, the IATA code is EUX.

[raptors]

Thanks for saving me at least 25 bucks. I'll buy you a drink at swinging doors.