I always try to make a mental note when we leave Aruba, of the airlines with the ridiculous lines to get to the ticket counter. I know there is one really bad one but I can't for the life of me remember if it was Delta or AA (or maybe I am completely wrong). Any thoughts? I would have a mild breakdown if I accidentally scheduled with the wrong airline for our next trip. Thanks in advance for any advice.

AA is the worst. Heres the line for AA last Oct. And it was a Tuesday. As you can see there was no other lines for any other airlines. http://allaboutaruba.net/americanairlines.aspx

3 1/2 weeks in Aruba Dec. 16, '08 - Jan. 9, '09
Aruba since 1985

i completely agree. DO NOT take AA to AUA. the lines are always long. you will regret it.

many do not regret being customers of AA
i take AA all of the time to aruba
have not regretted one minute of it

did have 2nd thoughts back in april when i not only had a seat kicker behind me but they ran out of coffee

the lines, well life is full of obstacles
AA has the schedule that is convenient for many
it has prices that work for many.

for you to be telling everyone on this forum that "YOU WILL REGRET IT" is a little extreme?

maybe you can elaborate?

andrea

Most of us know that AA has problems....change schedules too often....cancel flights....but we fly it anyway because they have many options to AUA.

They ALL have problems. I crack up when I read how won-der-ful Jet Blue is. Anyone remember all the cancellations last winter? Horror stories of customers being locked in the plane for 6-8 hours and not being allowed to leave?

Where is TWA when you need them? Eastern?

....with CindyO near California Lighthouse
Next Aruba trip in

the downfall for AA is their size and packed schedules.

1. lines for AA are always the longest and busiest - be it at the ticketing counter or the security checkins.
2. delays and cancellations seem to much more prevalent with AA than other airlines. perhaps b/c i travel to and fro JFK and LGA in NYC the problems may be more severe than from where you are.
3. one delay in their network cause backlogs all over due to their tight schedule. other airlines seem to be able to handle rebookings with much more ease.
3. their planes are the oldest in the domestic industry - especially the one they use for their JFK AUA route. the seats are literally falling apart - the plastic boards behind the seats and the trays.

from personal experience:
1) honeymoon to AUA in 2005 - flight to AUA delayed 2 hours. flight to JFK delayed 10 hours. yep - 10 hours in AUA. the flight left at 12AM. we were caged in the airport after 8-9pm as they closed it down for the day.
2) flight to AUA in may 2007 - flight delayed 2 hours again going to AUA.
3) thanksgiving 2008 reservations for 12 people unilaterally canceled by AA and rebooked to a connecting MIA flight for 5AM! i canceled the reservations and rebooked with JB for $400 extra/person. AA simply said our flight was taken out of the schedule.

again, these are just my misfortunes with AA. however, i know of countless others in nyc that swear off AA due to similar problems.

wow you had to pay an additional $400 pp to fly jet blue?!?
that indeed is horrifying and one reason i stick with AA.

who knows though, someday my words and continued partonage of AA may come back and bit me on the bum.

i am still in shock........... you opted to pay an additional $400 pp more than to leave JFK on AA at 5 am?!

so jet blue can be considered "a not necessarily discounted airlines"

disclosure we fly jet blue back and forth from boston or portland to tampa every thanksgiving and every springdue to their schedules and pricing, which we have found to alwasy be ok on that particular route.

I won't regret it when I finally have my free ticket after collecting miles. JB is no bargain....

Cindyo
View of Rennaissance Island
Daughters dining at El Gaucho

Next Aruba trip in

As mentioned before, American has treated me very well over the years. A few things here and there but nothing I would call out of the ordinary when considering the type of equipment and the number of people involved.

44

Aruba's Novelist in Residence (sometimes)
http://www.bentpage.wordpress.com/

yep. i would've taken the 5am flight out of JFK to MIA then 2 hr layover to AUA if it wasn't for the fact that i have 1 yr and 2.5 yr old, 72 yr old, and 4 toddlers, and 6 adults traveling with me.....so, as you can see, there was no way i was going to wake up at 3am to catch the 5am flight.

also, the 400 extra was mainly due to the fact that i purchased the AA tickets 10 months in advance vs 6 months for JB - i think????

i used to always ride AA - accumulated 200K points and used them for 1st/business class tickets to AUA last year for 3 people. but then i noticed all of the faults with them and finally had enough last winter flying in and out of LGA and washington dc and dallas. whatever it was, the flights were almost always canceled or delayed for hours - not to mention the LINES....like i said, perhaps it's b/c i travel to JFK/LGA which are prone to monster delays. but it always seemed like flights to the same airports from other airlines always departed on time or faster (if delayed).