You would need to check with American Airline's conditions of carriage for INTERNATIONAL flights. Only domestic carriage rules are listed on their website. I suppose you could telephone them to see if you could be faxed a copy or directed to where you could find them online.

For the most part airlines, when they cancel flights, will reschedule you on the next available flight for which there are seats available. Meaning that if the next flight going out is already full with passengers, already ticketed and scheduled to depart on that specific date, then you would have to wait until something opens up.

My in-laws were stuck in St. Martin an extra 3 days last year due to snowstorms in the northeast US last year. The next available seats were not until mid-week and they ended up flying back to an alternate airport (PHL instead of EWR). That was the soonest that Continental was able to accommodate them. All prior flights were booked solid.

We had something similar flying Delta at Thanksgiving. Our flight to EWR was cancelled. We were given the option of flying standby on the flight one hour later or being scheduled with seats available on a flight later that evening or as we opted, we flew instead into PHL an hour after our originally scheduled departure. Transportation from PHL to EWR was our responsibility.

Aruba Bound! ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Blogging to Aruba
Back to paradise Trip #18
Christmas & New Years Aboard the Queen Mary 2

We just called American Airlines (we leave the 29th on AA) and they said that if they cancel (which they didn't seem to be aware of) they will get us tickets on another airline. They also said we would get to Aruba one way or another. We're just going to go with the flow....if we get there later than expected...well it will kinda stink but I can live with it.

We leave Sunday. Ugh.

April/May in Aruba - ahhh

I have been to Aruba once and it happened to be when Natalie Holloway dissapeared, being from the same area as her and having an 18 year old daughter with me at the time was a little disconcerting. However I felt that it could and does happen everywhere and I also saw 1st hand the outpouring of emotions and what the people did to help and try to find her so I was touched. Now I am planning to come back in two weeks, I have been waiting for this trip for such a long time then today my resort calls to tell me about a public workers strike and for me to do whatever I needed to prepare for this. Well what is there to do to prepare for it, reservations are made, time off work ok'd, plane tickets purchased so what can I do but hope for the best?? Can someone tell me what to expect and if there is any hope of this being over before May 3rd. HELP Please.

your resort called YOU to tell you of strike?
i am astounded that they called you.
i have spoken with numerous folks about the situation and believe me when i say that nobody should be scaring or causing concern.

all will be rectified.......hopefully sooner rather than later.
honestly i would try not to worry
i too am heading to aruba
we head out of boston on the 23rd
andrea

It may be over by then or it may not, but ultimately there is not much you can do. That being said, based on the reports of folks who have been there in the past few weeks (and my in-laws who are there now) you probably won't be affected in the least. (barring your airline canceling your flight, which hasn't happened yet to my knowledge)

Not really sure what the hotel had in mind when they told you to "prepare for it", other than maybe allowing yourself some extra time getting to the airport for your return home, and maybe mentally preparing yourself for it taking a little longer getting through the airport/rental car/taxi process when you arrive.

If I were you (and I wish I was...2 weeks...woo-hoo!) I'd be preparing myself for a great vacation, taking things as they come and not sweating the small stuff.

Chip
Aruba - March 2008 Gallery

I guess I should have been a little more clear, the resort itself did not call me, the timeshare company that I purchased my TS through called me today. I appreciate the advice, believe me I am soooo looking forward to this trip. I plan to be a total veg and get some serious relaxed time in. It's been a long time coming.

Unions take the Aruban government to court
Last Update: Friday, April 18, 2008 http://www.amigoe.com/english/

ORANJESTAD – The civil servant unions united in SDA have instituted a lawsuit against the Oduber-cabinet. The lawsuit is to prevent the striking civil servants from not being paid this month. According to lawyer Edwin Duijneveld that represents the unions, the government is not allowed to withhold salaries based on just the principle ‘no work no pay’.

The strike has been going on for weeks now. The civil servants blocked the road along the Government Building yesterday morning and caused huge chaos in traffic. This morning, they blocked the access road to the harbour, at the office of Aruba Port Authority. At the airport and the schools, the employees are still on strike.

NEGOTIATION TABLE
Representatives of Ahata, ATIA, and the Chamber of Commerce conducted an unexpected press conference yesterday to overcome the deadlock in the labour dispute between the government and the unions. Ahata-director Rob Smith said that the organizations cannot just sit still and let all this happen; the labour conflict is already damaging the Aruban economy. They offered the government and the unions a ‘negotiation table’ in the Radisson Hotel today starting at 13:00.

ATIA-chairman Juan David Yrausquin added that the parties ‘are not allowed to leave the table before there is a solution’. “We, Aruba, will see to this.”

Others present at the press conference were the chairs of storeowners’ association Mambo, unions IOUWA (Valero-refinery), SIWA (WEB-personnel), STT (telecommunication), AVB (nurses), Union Taxista Arubano, and also the directors of AAA and ATA.

Finance-minister Nilo Swaen (MEP) has already indicated on behalf of the government that they won’t go to the Radisson Hotel. The minister doesn’t understand why the social partners are just now taking actions, while they have been well informed of the situation and could have anticipated damages for the Aruban economy.

“With this invitation they want the government to handle on an irresponsible manner for Aruba and agree with what the unions are asking. That has never happened before in the history of Aruba.”

Swaen says that he will only consider negotiations, if the social partners will also back the government when she is forced to double the bbo-percentage to continue paying for the personnel expenses.

Premier Nelson Oduber has invited Ahata, ATIA, and the KvK to come to the government building around noon today to ‘receive the necessary information’. He is under the impression that the employers’ organizations have an incorrect image of the situation. The statements of the business circles regarding the current conflict with the civil servant unions have surprised him.

Aruba Bound! ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Blogging to Aruba
Back to paradise Trip #18
Christmas & New Years Aboard the Queen Mary 2

Just returned Thursday from 2 weeks in Aruba... I can tell you that the strike has not affected anything but the traffic. The only problem we encountered was on the taxi ride back to the airport. We left 3 hours before our flight and barely made it. This was because of the traffic from downtown to the airport barely moves. Took about 1 hour 15 minutes to go from Playa Linda to airport and that was on a Thursday. Just allow way more time than you think you need and be patient on arrival since the taxi's are having trouble getting through, it took us longer to get one when we arrived as well. Other than that, you wouldn't know anything was going on. Have a great time and enjoy!

I returned from Aruba at 1:00 a.m this morning.

2 things occurred which were effected by the strike.

1) On Friday we were getting ready for afternoon bingo at the resort. The bingo caller could not use her microphone because there was no power. The power was out not only at the resort, but apparently throughout much of the island. The resort staff said that this has been happening occasionally, where the power company will cut power for periods of time. This outage lasted about 1 hour.

2) Yesterday our flight was scheduled to leave at 4:00 p.m. Close to 4:45, after we were all on board and still sitting at the gate, our pilot came on and said that at noontime, the air traffic controllers walked out. Anyone scheduled to leave from @ noontime on were still waiting. Apparently the Jet Blue flight to Boston, which was supposed to leave @ 1:00 (or so) didn't take off until much much later. My situation wasn't so bad - scheduled to leave at 3:51 (US Air to Philly - then Phillly to Boston). At the time of departure, we were 5th in line - BUT this is because the other flights never left. We ended up taking off close to 5:30 p.m.

There was some protesting last Saturday when we got into Aruba (on the 12th) - outside of the Parliament building. Other than that, didn't notice much else.

To the locals we spoke to - They feel the govt. workers are being nothing but greedy. They do have better contracts and make more money than those in private industry. The issue seems to be nothing more than salary.

I hope it gets workd out soon. As a several time visitor, the island just seemed to have a different feel to it. I don't know if it's what is going on with the government, the amount of building and construction? While I still love the island and it's people, It just felt different.

Forgot to mention - our ride to the airport from ABC only took about 10 minutes. There were no protesters downtown (and this was a Satruday). Taxi pulled right up to the drop off at the airport. The line of US Air was short (good timing I guess). Got through security, duty free, and customs all within an hour. Had enough time for some Carvel ice cream.