Airliners.net

I decided to take a much needed vacation to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. I usually try to take a nonstop JFK-STT and ferry over to the island from St. Thomas but the nonstop was not being offered so I decided to go from BDL since I had to change planes anyway. Plus I haven't been inside the new terminal on Tortola ( Beef Island).

November 5, 2006 - Sunday

Drove from home in Danbury, CT to Windsor Locks and arrived at about 6 pm where I would eat dinner, check into a hotel along Route 75 and be ready to go early the next morning. I arrived at the Skyline Restaurant where the power promptly went out, which it turns out happened in several towns around the Hartford area. After a candlelit dinner, I went to the hotel I originally booked at to find it in the dark. I found accomodations in Windsor with power. There I overheard a few travelers say the delays did cause a few delays for flights at BDL and I went to bed hoping for an on time departure the next morning.

November 6, 2006 - Monday

American 1375
Boeing 757-200

I woke up at 5:30 am, had a quick bite to eat, and shuttled over to the airport for the 8:05 am departure to SJU. As always AA opeates out of the antiquated terminal B. I look forward to day when AA improves their facilities at BDL. Anyway I checked in quickly and went through security even more quickly and took a seat near gate B5 to watch aircraft departing on 6. The morning hours are the only time in which BDL is consistently busy as there are several departures between 6-9 am. Boarding started at 735am and I took my seat in 14F. I would say the flight was about 95% full in coach and half full in business class. Come the middle of December the flight is upgraded to an Airbus A300 for the peak season. After a quick deicing, we departed on runway 6 at about 830 am. We took a route over eastern Connecticut and and Long Island and before long were over the Atlantic heading due south. Flight attendants provided two beverage services. This was a pretty smooth and uneventful flight, and were beginning our descent into SJU after about 3+ hours of flying. We tocuhed down smoothly on runway 8 where a company 757 was patiently waiting to depart. We arrived ealry at gate 19 at about 1235pm and trekked on over to the Eagle gates. our 757 would continue to SXM.

American Eagle 5068
ATR 72

I headed down the escalators to gate 1-c where the bus took us to a waiting Eagle ATR for our flight over to the BVI. I took my seat in 9A and before long we were on our way to runway 8. We took off just before 2pm and took a route north of Vieques and St Thomas. We pretty much hugged to southern shore of Tortola and touched down on time at 235pm at the airport, which is on the neighboring island of Beef Island.

November 12, 2006 - Sunday

American Eagle 5071
ATR 72

After a very nice and relaxing vacation on Tortola, it was time to head back home. A taxi broght me to the airport where I checked in quickly. The new facility at EIS is very nice compared to the old one. If youe been there you know what I mean. Anyway, I paid the departure tax and went through security to the departure lounge. Eagle 5070 arrived and it would turn around and become our flight to SJU. We departed after a Cape Air Cessna 402, a Liat Dash 8, and a Carribean Sun Dash 8 on time at 435pm. I was again seated in 9A. We took off to the east over Marina Cay and turned west over Great Camanoe and trekked north of Tortola and St Thomas. We continued north of Vieques and stayed north of Puerto Rico and touched down smoothly on runway 8 at 524pm.

American 1312
Boeing 757-200

After deplaning by the Eagle gates, we trekked over to US Customs and Immigration. I got through that quickly and without incident and headed to gate 5 to board the 710pm flght to Hartford. We were delayed a bit to replace a battery in the nosewheel. I killed time by watching planes land on runway 8 and kept my eye on a lightning storm to our west. We were on our way at 754pm and took off from 8 after a Continental 737. I was seated over the wing in 21F. Seatbelt sign was on for the entire flight as we were in and out of turbulance. We had only one beverage service and before long we were descending over Connecticut. It was overcast and we didn't come out of the clouds until about one minute before touch down on runway 6. A quick taxi to B8 and I went down to get my luggage and went home.

Overall, all flights were good. AA continues to provide me with decent service and look forward to flying them again in the future. Sorry for the lack of photos. I hoped you enjoyed my report and thanks for reading.
-Eric

Good to see a EIS report here as they aren't very frequent. Pretty much flew the same EIS-SJU flights as you did except a few days earlier. Agree that the new terminal is quite nice, but still seems a bit small as it can get crowded departing and arriving when LIAT, Caribbean Sun, and AA Eagle all have flights at roughly the same time.

I can't believe it's just a 3 1/2 hour flight from BDL-SJU. Glad the trip went smoothly! Is it a very scenic flight from EIS-SJU?

Quoting Spyderz (Reply 1): it can get crowded departing and arriving when LIAT, Caribbean Sun, and AA Eagle all have flights at roughly the same time.

Yeah it can. My arrival flight was the only one there at 230 but was busy when I left at 430. I also noticed a few private jets parked on the ramp. I wonder if an ERJ or CRJ could do a trip from MIA or even ATL.

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 2): Is it a very scenic flight from EIS-SJU?

It can be depending on where you are seated. I was in 9A form SJU-EIS and saw only water until Jost Van Dyke and then Tortola itself. I would imagine you would see St Thomas, St John, Peter Island, Norman Island or Cooper island if you had a seat on the other side, maybe even Vieques or Culebra. On the return, I could see Marina Cay, Great Camanoe, Tortola, St Thomas, and Vieques before hitting PR. You would need to be pretty familiar with the islands to know which is which. I've been travelling there for many yeays so I know the islands fairly well.
-Eric

Quoting Eric777 (Thread starter): ook forward to day when AA improves their facilities at BDL

Dont hold your breath :/

Quoting Eric777 (Thread starter): Come the middle of December the flight is upgraded to an Airbus A300 for the peak season.

Not anymore  

Quoting Eric777 (Thread starter): After a quick deicing,

In november?

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 4): Come the middle of December the flight is upgraded to an Airbus A300 for the peak season. Not anymore

I just checked aa.com and they are indeed showing the A300. I entered December 15 as a date.

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 4): After a quick deicing, In november?

The captain stated there was a layer of frost on the aircraft. They sprayed us right at the gate. It was in the upper 20s the night before.

Quoting Eric777 (Reply 5): They sprayed us right at the gate. It was in the upper 20s the night before.

Oh, yeah.. I remember that night now... It got to like 26 here in springfield.

Quoting Eric777 (Reply 5): I just checked aa.com and they are indeed showing the A300. I entered December 15 as a date.

Hmmph.. IDK then as there was a big discussion awhile back in civ av about the A300 leaving BDL...

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 6): Hmmph.. IDK then as there was a big discussion awhile back in civ av about the A300 leaving BDL...

Yeah, I remember the discussion. there are plenty of people who don't like the busses but I have nothing against them. Currently there are 2 AA 757s in BDL: 1 to SJU and 1 to MIA. Come Dec 15, SJU goes A300 and MIA 737-800. Suddenly, 757s are becoming quite rare in BDL.
-Eric

Nice report, many thanks.

That's quite an upgrade on the winter service, a 752 to A300!

Rgds

Mark