Warning About Vieques Air Link

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Warning About Vieques Air Link

by PSB
(Virginia, USA)

My wife and I love Vieques and Puerto Rico and have been to Vieques twice in the past few years and to the big island once. Our second trip to Vieques was with Vieques Air Link just a few weeks ago (end of March 2008). We reserved and paid for our round trip ticket via phone from Stateside before the trip. When we showed up for our return flight from Vieques back to San Juan, we found that we had lost the green boarding pass/ticket which we'd been issued in San Juan on our way to Vieques. No problem, we thought! After all, we were in their computer, so they knew we'd prepaid, and all airlines we've ever flown will re-issue a lost boarding pass on a prepaid ticket based on their computer records and our picture ID proof of identity. It's not like anyone else could use the lost ticket, since they wouldn't have the requisite ID. And it's not like we could use it twice somehow since, obviously the date would be wrong and we would show up in their records as having flown back. Yet they insisted that we buy a new one-way ticket from Vieques to San Juan and take it up with company on Monday (this was on a Sunday) saying that their was no way without the physical ticket -- the ultimate "gotcha". When we'd received the ticket in San Juan no one at VAL had said anything about the ticket being irreplaceable if lost or anything about it for that matter.

When we spoke to the head of the company he said that he would look into it and that we should call back in a few days, which we did. Even though he acknowledged that he had the record of our round trip ticket purchase he refused to refund the new ticket we'd bought, saying that this was just their "rule." So if you lose your ticket, even though there is no possible way that VAL could lose money, they force you to pay twice just because they can. We had no problem on our other visit when we flew Cape Air which was run much more professionally. So our strong advice is not to patronage VAL -- we are out $184.00.

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Warning About Vieques Air Link

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Jan 18, 2010

A Positive Experience to Report
by: Judy

Four of us just returned from Culebra where the weather made flying in and out very difficult.
Fortunately, our arrangements were made with Noemi
then working for Isla Nina Airlines. No flights could leave from SJ so she popped us into her pickup truck, drove us for several hours in the rain, past the river which was out to Cieba where we got the LAST flight out through a connection of hers. She made similar arrangements for us on the way out and we are forever grateful for her personal service.
Noemi is a gem who is now working for Vieques Airline and they are very lucky to have her.

Nov 10, 2009

Complacency
by: borichi

Well, Iam sorry for the guy who lose his flight but as you stated, your son arrives only 15 mins before the flight. Every where you have to catch a flight you are supose to be present at least 45 mins before the flight if not your reservation wil be voided, or what you think, that you have a personal plane for your convenience???

VAL is the best local air conection!!!

Sep 30, 2009

Vieques Air Link dont care!!
by: Victor

I just had a similar experience as the original post. We are puertorricans and my wife and I bought round trip tickets for a week-end escape with our two children, one age 24 and 20. We enjoyed our Vieques experience except the return of my son, back to the San Juan.

My son who is a medical student accepted our invitation for this trip but he told us he would have to fly back to San Juan, the next day (Saturday) as he had a very important black tie social event with his fiancée at 7pm which has been planned for two months. We were to return back on Sunday with our daughter.

We arrived at Vieques Friday on the last flight and after a full day enjoying the BioBay, Biking and eating Saturday; it was time for him to return back. He had been issued a ticket with a departing time of 5:45 pm. So I dropped him at the airport at 5:20 pm. As I was heading back to the hotel he called at me at 5:25 pm to tell me the airplane (the last one of VAL to leave that day) had left already!! The plane took off without him at 5:20 pm even though it was scheduled to depart at 5:45 pm. He had to call his fiancée and call off the event as he would not be able to return to San Juan until next day. The unprofessional people at VAL told him it was his fault as he was supposed to be at the airport one hour before departure. For those who are not aware the Vieques airport is very small the boarding and arrival area is just a single room. There is no line to get in, no TSA security check. You go from the entrance of the airport to the departure gate in 20 seconds. The main ?gotcha? was that you were supposed to be one hour before departure, when in reality the plane departed full 25 minutes earlier than the scheduled time! They did offer him to flight him to Ceiba which is 1 hour drive to San Juan but he will need to arrange for transportation to San Juan at that late time which is almost impossible and expensive. They didn?t even offer to pay the transportation back to San Juan by Taxi if he chose to accept to be flown to Ceiba for their screw up. The only thing they did was issue him a ticket for the next day with us. Needless to say the next day the flight departed sharply on time. This extremely irresponsible and insensible act cost my son his social activity and spoiled the rest of our weekend together as he was so enraged that he didn?t want to share with us no more.

This will be the first and last time I fly VAL

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Sep 30, 2009
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Submitted by: Victor

Title

Comment
I just had a similar experience as the original post. We are puertorricans and my wife and I bought round trip tickets for a week-end escape with our two children, one age 24 and 20. We enjoyed our Vieques experience except the return of my son, back to the San Juan. My son who is a medical student accepted our invitation for this trip but he told us he would have to fly back to San Juan, the next day (Saturday) as he had a very important black tie social event with his fiancée at 7pm which has been planned for two months. We were to return back on Sunday with our daughter. We arrived at Vieques Friday on the last flight and after a full day enjoying the BioBay, Biking and eating Saturday; it was time for him to return back. He had been issued a ticket with a departing time of 5:45 pm. So I dropped him at the airport at 5:20 pm. As I was heading back to the hotel he called at me at 5:25 pm to tell me the airplane (the last one of VAL to leave that day) had left already!! The plane took off without him at 5:20 pm even though it was scheduled to depart at 5:45 pm. He had to call his fiancée and call off the event as he would not be able to return to San Juan until next day. The unprofessional people at VAL told him it was his fault as he was supposed to be at the airport one hour before departure. For those who are not aware the Vieques airport is very small the boarding and arrival area is just a single room. There is no line to get in, no TSA security check. You go from the entrance of the airport to the departure gate in 20 seconds. The main ?gotcha? was that you were supposed to be one hour before departure, when in reality the plane departed full 25 minutes earlier than the scheduled time! They did offer him to flight him to Ceiba which is 1 hour drive to San Juan but he will need to arrange for transportation to San Juan at that late time which is almost impossible and expensive. They didn?t even offer to pay the transportation back to San Juan by Taxi if he chose to accept to be flown to Ceiba for their screw up. The only thing they did was issue him a ticket for the next day with us. Needless to say the next day the flight departed sharply on time. This extremely irresponsible and insensible act cost my son his social activity and spoiled the rest of our weekend together as he was so enraged that he didn?t want to share with us no more. This will be the first and last time I fly VAL

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Sep 28, 2009

Val is not bad istead is very good and with an exelent service
by: Viequense

I live in VQS and I love planes.I have flown with val from years and it has a very good service and very courteous personal.I really recomend it.Thanks for reading my comment and I hope you can enjoy my Beutiful Island Thanks!!!

Jul 29, 2009

que abusp con la gente
by: viequense

pues mi comentario es q contra mano mira yo vivo en boston soy viequense y aveces con 29 dolares yo vuelo a la florida hace un mes vole a chicago por solo 56 dolares y eso es un avion boing 747 y val por volar de vieques a fajardo o ceiba creo q es ahora son antes no se ahora 24 dolars y solo son como 7 minutos de vuelo contra mano deveria de intervenir el govierno y poner una tarifa fija por lo menos para los recidentes de vieques q fuer justa para ambas partes like 10.dolares por persona y vieques san juan 20 solo pa recidentes no abusen mas con el pueblo q si hacemos el puente q van hacer con los avioner comercelos en una sopa vola jajajajajajajajajajajajajajajajaja

Jul 07, 2009

WillNot Use VAL
by: Anonymous

Will not use them!!

Aug 16, 2008

forewarned is forearmed
by: jack armstrong

You were told. Check out Trip Advisor which has lengthy threads concerning this topic. The tickets are transferrable. That is why VAL has their policy of no refunds. Hand on to the ticket and be forewarned! VAL is excellent in terms of safety, on time performance and customer service.

Apr 23, 2008

VAL ripoff
by: Anonymous

Wow, I'm not using VAL!

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Warning About Vieques Air Link

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