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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Northeast Storm Causes Cancellations

With blizzard conditions occurring in the northeast United States, vacationers already in the Virgin Islands found themselves either tacking on unplanned extra days to their trips or leaving early to beat the storm home. Those who expected to arrive in the next few days were also forced to change their plans.

“We would rather have gone home,” said Mary Lauriat of Wakefield, Mass., on Monday morning.

Lauriat and her three fellow vacationers had planned to leave St. Thomas’s Cyril E. King Airport for Boston’s Logan Airport on Monday afternoon but she said the soonest they were able to book seats was Thursday.

With airplanes arriving and departing mostly full during the busy winter season, it can mean that people have to wait several days for vacant seats.

At midday Monday, USA Today reported that airlines had canceled 5,740 flights ahead of what it called a monster storm expected to dump up to three feet of snow on many parts of the northeast on Monday and Tuesday.

According to a V.I. Port Authority press release issued Monday, United Airlines flight 1484 from St. Thomas to Newark Liberty International Airport is canceled until Wednesday. American Airlines Flight 1275 from St. Thomas to New York’s JFK International Airport is rerouted to Miami. The reestablishment of service to JFK will be determined as weather permits.

Delta Flight 400 from St. Thomas to JFK left on schedule at 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Gail Chinnery, who works in the Port Authority’s public information office, said Monday that US Airways flight 1482 from St. Thomas to Newark arrived but won’t depart again until Wednesday.

Chinnery said she hadn’t heard anything from JetBlue but the airline’s website stated that people who planned to travel Monday and Tuesday from northeast area airports could rebook or get refunds without any change or cancellation charges if they flew by Sunday.

US Airways, United and American Airlines had notices on their websites that said travelers had until Friday to travel without paying change fees if the snow forced them to alter their plans. Each airline had a little different variation on the other caveats so it’s important to check directly.

Chinnery said the flights to and from St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport are from Miami and Atlanta so they are not impacted by the winter storm.

Tourism Department spokesman Luana Wheatley said the hotels have contingency plans to handle situations such as those caused by snowstorms on the mainland.

“We are here to provide assistance,” Wheatley said of the department.

While Lauriat, who is staying at a St. John vacation villa, said they’ll manage the extra expense that comes with extending the vacation villa rental or finding a hotel, the car rental and food, she hopes that the villa management company or a St. Thomas hotel will offer a discount to stranded travelers.

On the plus side, that villa is vacant until Saturday so they won’t have to scramble to find somewhere else.

The same scenario occurred at St. John’s Windspree Vacation Homes. Kay Raimondi said fortunately most of their guests are arriving “toward the weekend” but there was one set that planned to arrive Tuesday. She said they were able to change their flight to arrive Monday, and the villa they had rented was vacant.

“We gave them a little bit of a discount,” she said, referring to the extra day.

The Buccaneer Hotel on St. Croix does the same, spokesman Vicki Locke said.

Locke said at midday Monday that so far one couple decided to extend their trip but she knows there will be more once the vacationers start paying attention to the news. Locke said there hasn’t been any cancellations so far but she’s sure that situation will change as the weather worsens.

Joel Kling, who manages the two Best Western properties on St. Thomas, Emerald Beach Resort and Carib Beach Resort, said the hotels have gotten some cancellations and calls from people changing their dates because of the snow.

He said the hotel doesn’t charge a penalty when people cancel in situations like this but it does irk him that people who can’t use their reservation don’t bother to call.

Kling said that the hotels’ locations near the airport are a plus because it’s convenient for people waiting to fly out.

At Amalie Car Rental on St. Thomas, owner Amy James said she spent Monday morning fielding calls about the situation. She said a handful of her customers wanted to get out before the storm so they turned in their cars early. However, many customers decided they wanted to stay so they extended their rentals.

“We’ve been able to accommodate them,” she said.

Locke pointed out that people can buy travel insurance to help with situations like this but noted that not all insurances cover events like snow storms.

Many were philosophical about the weather issues.

“It’s winter,” Locke said, echoing the remarks of several people.

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