Any updates on departures?

[cdc]

So, have the departure procedures, lines, etc relaxed or gotten any smoother lately? We are heading out on Friday for a week, with a 2 year old....and dreading the lines. We will pack light, but traveling with a child, everything is harder!

Also, how are they in that last hour? Really nothing on your lap? No electronics? What are we going to do with a 2 year old for an hour on a plane with no distractions?

I read the thread from a few weeks ago right after the christmas bomber, I am hoping things have gotten streamlined, and perhaps a little relaxed.

Bring on the patdowns....but here's me crossing my fingers it is faster.

(our departure is 4pm on delta...saturday )

[Andrea J.]

from what i have been told from 2 folks that recently returned from aruba:
the stuff on your lap and the bathroom trips are allowed during the last hour.

andrea

[Arubalisa]

As of January 9

http://www.aruba.com/forum/f33/saturdays-aruba-airport-43188/#post162371

Originally Posted by FFgoo

...I will tell you that they are checking all carry on baggage at the gate of your aircraft, and your body is being hand searched...

From what I understand the flight procedures for that last hour are at the discretion of the pilot.
We flew home on December 29 and and as Andrea said, everything was "normal". We were allowed to use the restroom and electronics until the customary time.

[cdc]

Originally Posted by Andrea J.

from what i have been told from 2 folks that recently returned from aruba:
the stuff on your lap and the bathroom trips are allowed during the last hour.

andrea

Well, thank god for that. I cannot imagine them cracking down on a 2 year old.

I know saturdays are the worst ever day to fly out of Aruba, even before this new security....with our flight at 4pm....and a rental car to return (alamo) how early should we plan to get to the airport?

Thanks!

[babyrn1116]

We returned from Aruba last night non-ston AUA-BOS. We were at the airport 3 hours early, and were second in line for AA. It took about 10 minutes to make it all the way to the shops. We found out our flight was delayed one hour, so we then had 4 hours of time to find something to do.
The security process has not changed with one exception...ALL carry-on bags were hand searched at the gate and each person was patted down...even our 5 yr old and 18 month old. There were no restrictions during the flight, even during the last hour.
Kudos to Aruba for the extra security...we didn't mind it one bit!
Have a great trip!

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by babyrn1116

ALL carry-on bags were hand searched at the gate and each person was patted down...even our 5 yr old and 18 month old.

It sounds like nothing has changed since the "Christmas bomber".

How long did it take to board?

[Andrea J.]

Feb 4
American Airlines
We arrived at airport 2.5 hrs b4 flight time.
line at ticket counter minimal, maybe a 5 minute wait.
immigration, security, uscustoms and security again......same old same old...nothing different than any other times post 9/11.
gate/boarding ALL carry on bags explored....not really searched.
ALL passengers patted down.....well sort of, noting major, intrusive or offensive.

All in all ticket counter to gate on feb 4, about 35 minutes.

[fattypatty]

Originally Posted by Andrea J.

Feb 4
American Airlines
We arrived at airport 2.5 hrs b4 flight time.
line at ticket counter minimal, maybe a 5 minute wait.
immigration, security, uscustoms and security again......same old same old...nothing different than any other times post 9/11.
gate/boarding ALL carry on bags explored....not really searched.
ALL passengers patted down.....well sort of, noting major, intrusive or offensive.

All in all ticket counter to gate on feb 4, about 35 minutes.

How are the slots?!?!?!?!

[Andrea J.]

currently 2 slot parlors operational
1 @ uscustoms area
the other across from gate 4
the one across from gate 7 is slated to open in a few weeks.

all TITO
the attendant has the $$ to cash out.

they are part of Aruba Lottery

the machines all look NEW to me.

we played a 9 line reel penny machine
for almost an hr.
we each put in $10 into our machines
we paul won and i cashed out almost the $10

the airco could be better in the slot parlors
no smoking either
no food or beverages allowed.

Originally Posted by fattypatty

How are the slots?!?!?!?!