Vieques airlines: Privacy policy 2 2 | Vieques Air Link

Privacy policy 2 2 | Vieques Air Link

VAL Check Baggage Allowance

ALL OUR FARES INCLUDE 25LBS PER TICKET PASSENGER FREE, INCLUDES CARRY ON AND ALL PERSONAL ITEMS.  ADDITIONAL WEIGHT EXCEEDING 25LBS WILL BE CHARGED $1.50 PER POUND EXTRA.

·         Maximum Size 22″x 15″x 9″: Maximum Weight 25lbs. Charge Fee – Free

·         The 25lbs pounds calculation includes All Baggage’s included your carry-on bag and personal items

BAG EXCEEDING 25LBS.

·         Maximum Size 35.5″x 29.5″x 16″ | Maximum Weight 50lbs. | Charge Fee – $1.50 per pound of the excess of 25lbs.

·         Any baggage, the weight of which exceeds the applicable maximum free allowance of 1 bag or 25lbs, will be accepted for transportation only upon payment of the applicable excess baggage fees.

Checked Baggage

• A checked baggage is defined:
  • • Maximum weight per bag is limited up to 25lbs. (11.34kgs.) and maximum linear dimension of 158cm (62in) per fare-paying passenger.  
  • • Passengers are not limited as to the number of pieces to check-in as long as the total of weight do not exceeds 50lbs. 
  • • Our 25lbs. baggage allowance is complimentary. 
  • • Linear dimension is calculated by adding together its’ greatest outside height, width and length – wheels and handles included.
• Overweight Baggage:
  • • Baggage exceeding our allowance, 26lbs up to 50lbs (11.79kgs – 22kgs), is subject to $1.50 per pound. If the baggage is more than 51lbs (23kgs) is subject to aircraft weight and space availability.  
  • • In the event that your excess baggage cannot be accommodated, luggage will travel on a subsequent flight.
• NOTE: Passenger is responsible for forward shipping expenses and arrangements.

• Baggage Transfer

ViequesAir Link is not responsible of transferring baggage to other airlines on your behalf. When connecting to other airlines, you will need to claim your baggage upon arrival, and re-check it when you reach your next carrier.

Baggage Claims

Your luggage will be transported on conveyor belts and baggage carts and may encounter weather conditions such as rain, wind or sun light. It may move and shift during takeoff, flight and landing. Tag your bag with your information inside and outside. Please examine your baggage condition upon arrival. If the condition is less than what it was when you checked in, please report your concern to a customer service agent at our check-in counter before leaving the airport.

Traveling with Pets

• Advanced Reservation Required, as only one pet or service animal per aircraft. 

•·For pet’s reservation need to book 48 hours prior to the flight thru our call center department at 787-741-8331 or 1- 888-901-9247.

• Pet charge is $30.00 each way

• VAL accepts only domesticated cats, dogs, rabbits, and household birds for transport as pets when accompanied by the Customer.

• A hard kennel is required for all routes.

• Vieques Air Link provides kennel for an extra charge of $15.00

• Up to 2 animals from the same family household are permitted on the same aircraft if space permits. It is possible that, due to space or weight constraints, the passenger and animals may not be able to be accommodated on a flight, and passengers would need to make other arrangements.   Multiple live animals from different households are not permitted on the same aircraft due to concerns of animal interaction onboard our small aircraft.

• Each pet will be charge separately.

• Total weight of the pet’s and kennel may not exceed 30lbs.

• Pet hard kennel maximum measure is 26”x18”17”.

• VAL reserves the right to refuse carriage of pets at any time.

• Total weight of the pet and kennel may not exceed 30lbs. Pet kennel maximum measure is 26″X18″X17″.

• Charter flights could be arranged on VAL availability to accommodate a passenger with a service animal that is too large. Call Reservation for availability and charter cost.

Service Animals

Traveling with your Trained Service

• On VAL flights, trained service animals are expected to be seated in the floor space below a customer’s seat. Trained service and confirmed travel for free. The size of the animal must not exceed the “footprint” of the passenger’s seat.

• All pets traveling will be placed in kennel prior to passenger boarding. Non service dogs will not be permitted to walk with leash from gate or terminal to aircraft. 

Trained Service Animals

Trained service animals are defined as only dogs with a Max weight of 30lbs, regardless of breed, specifically trained to assist a person with a disability.

Customers must submit the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form, for validation prior to their flight attesting to the animal’s health, training and behavior.

• For travel booked 48 hours or more prior to departure, customers must submit this documentation in advance for validation through the email contact@valairlilnes. com

• For travel booked less than 48 hours prior to departure, customers may present the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form at the check-in counter or departure gate.

Emotional Support Animals

•In accordance with the final rule by the U.S. Department of Transportation, effective Jan. 11, 2021 new bookings for emotional support animals will no longer be permitted. Customers who wish to travel with a pet may do so according to VAL  Pet Travel Policy. 

 Inappropriate Animal Behavior

We understand how important your animal is to you. We will only refuse transportation of a trained service animal, if it engages in disruptive or aggressive behavior such as: 

•    Growling 

•  Biting 

•   Jumping on customers, flight attendants or staff 

•   Relieving themselves in the gate area or cabin 

•  Barking excessively, not in response to a handler’s need or distress 

If all requirements are not met, the animal will travel as a pet in the cabin or cargo if space available. Reasonable rearrangements for a later flight could be consider or customer can arrange a charter flight.

Sports Equipment- Baggage Allowance

Fishing equipment

• We accept fishing equipment as long as the rod is encased.

• Must be packed in hard-sided case.

• A limited release tag is required.

Golf Bags

• We accept closed golf bags.

• Bag should be a hard-sided carrying case provided by Passenger, including clubs, balls, and shoes. Hooded golf bags or golf bags in a soft-sided carrying case provided by the Passenger will be subject to limited release.

Scuba equipment

• Scuba tanks should be empty.

• All accompanying equipment (e.g., BCD, weight belt, one regulator, one tank harness, one tank pressure gauge, one mask, two fins, one snorkel, one knife, and one safety vest) are encased together in a container acceptable to Carrier.

• The equipment have to be informed during reservations and will travel on space availability only.

FIREARMS – Regional Airports Policy

• Passenger is responsible to notify VAL in advance when making the reservation if he/she will be traveling with a firearm.

• Firearm must travel in a locked suitcase provided by the customer.

• Firearms and ammunition can be transported within the same locked case, must travel in hard-sided case.

• The firearm and ammunitions cases need to be locked and secured. Locked means either padlock or travel cases with locks ie Bio, Combo, key or key card. 

•The counteragent will inspect the case to make sure is locked and inquire if firearm is unloaded with ammunition separated then he will accept the bag or suitcase as CHECK-IN luggage, It will not be CARRY ON. Conceal Carry need to put gun and ammunition inside a backpack or suitcase. Firearms that are use for hunting (shotgun rifles) no longer can used soft cases for transport.

•.Passenger will fill out V.A.L. Firearms Travel Disclosure Form declaring that he /she is in compliance with Federal Laws & V. A.L. Travel policies. Any violations or failure to comply with the transport of firearms the passenger may face federal and or state criminal prosecutions.

•Security personnel (Ranger, ST. James etc. ) are not L.E.O. and has to comply with the same Policies that a private citizen license firearm holders has.

•Passenger with an expired license cannot travel with the weapon he/she has to make the proper arrangement securing the firearm.

•.Web booking requires costumer to call our Call Center to provide his license information.

•Any L.E.O.in uniform under official duty will travel with their weapon and they should follow their travel guidelines under Federal and States laws. For other L.E.O.s not in uniform but on official duties, The Officer or Agency must inform Call Center that it will have personnel traveling on Official duties.

Wheelchairs

• We can provide you a wheelchair at the gate for arrival and departures, your personal wheelchair will travel as cargo on your same flight. You must request this when making your reservation and at the check-in.

NOTE: Unusually shaped objects: Large pieces or sporting equipment exceed the capacity of the compartments and are not accepted for transport.

Liability

Luggage is designed to protect its contents. Vieques Air Link, Inc. cannot be liable for minor exterior damage (i.e. scratches, scuffs, stains, dents, cuts and dirt resulting from normal wear and tear of baggage). We are gladly to transport your fragile items but we cannot accept liability for it. Please let us know in advance of any item you may be concern for extra caution and consideration.

For oxygen tank please refer to: www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/cabin_safety/portable_oxygen
Items prohibited on Vieques Air Link flights please see T.S.A. policy: www.tsa.gov/travel

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About Vieques Air Link

Vieques Air Link is a Puerto Rican airline that links Vieques with Culebra and mainland Puerto Rico. The airline has a fleet of Cessna Caravan, Britten Norman Islander and Britten Norman Trislander. Vieques Air Link is an FAA Certified Air Carrier, founded in 1965, who also offers personalized charter and cargo services for those looking for even more convenience. Please visit our travel documents page to find out whether you need a passport to go to Puerto Rico.

Destinations

Vieques Air Links flies to many destinations including Ceiba, Culebra, Fajardo, Isla Grande, San Juan, St. Croix, St. Thomas and Vieques.

Vieques Air Link Frequent Flyer Program

Vieques Air Link operates a frequent flyer program to reward its regular passengers. The purpose of the Loyalty Program is that commuters increase their loyalty to Vieques Air Link, selecting this airline as their first choice of air connectivity. Located in the beautiful island of Vieques and with more than 30 daily flights to several cities in the “big island” of Puerto Rico, Culebra and the US and British Virgin Islands.

Vieques Air Link Baggage

Carry-on Baggage

Vieques Air Link’s fares all include 30lbs of free checked baggage. 30lbs include carry-on bag and personal items.

Checked Baggage

Checked baggage should not exceed maximum linear dimension of 158cm per fare-paying passenger. Passengers are not limited to the number of pieces to check-in as long as the weight does not exceed 50lbs (22 kgs). Over 30lbs, baggage allowance is complimentary. Guests should check-in 90 minutes before departure in San Juan International Airport (SJU). All flights will be closed 45 minutes before departure. Not fulfil this requirement, no show policy will be applied.

Alternative Airlines to Vieques Air Link

Please click on the logos below to find out more about other airlines flying to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands:

News

18th June 2017

Seaborne Airlines to resume service to Antigua

Seaborne Airlines has announced that a non-stop service between Puerto Rico and Antigua will begin next month. Flights from the airline’s hub at Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport to VC Bird International Airport will begin on 21 July after an agreement between Seaborne and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

According to a press release, the service “will provide increased airlift and convenient connecting opportunities for both visitors and Antiguans and Barbudans.”

Seaborne will operate four non-stop round-trip flights per week.

Passengers from more than 30 destinations will be able to connect through San Juan when flying with the carrier’s partners – which include American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, and Vieques Air Link.

18th May 2017

Vieques Air Link and Seaborne Airlines, two of Puerto Rico’s leading airlines, has agreed to a codeshare agreement.

Under this alliance, both airlines open new destinations to their respective customers, the airlines said in a statement released today. Seaborne Airlines will host Vieques Air Link’s scheduled itineraries on their reservation system. With this addition, customers have new destinations to explore with seamless connections, the airline said, adding that the new destinations for Seaborne include: Culebra (CPX) and Vieques (VQS).

The airlines said that Vieques Air Link customers will also benefit from this partnership with better connections throughout the Caribbean and stateside using the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan (SJU) where Seaborne has interline agreements with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Airlines among others. Vieques Air Link Customers flying on Seaborne will enjoy the benefit of traveling on a single ticket, which allows for one-stop check-in, baggage transfers, and convenient connections in San Juan.

VIEQES, PUERTO RICO RETURNS FROM HURRICANE MARIA – AND NOW IS THE TIME TO VISIT

I sat in the passenger seat of Silvia de Marco’s jeep as we rolled uphill on a road lined with wild foliage. It was November 2019 and I had just arrived in Vieques after a short but breathtaking flight from San Juan. De Marco, designer and owner of Dreamcatcher, a hotel on the main island, acted as my unofficial guide. She recently took over what was left of a dilapidated 50-year-old boarding house in the tree-lined hills of Vieques leveled during the hurricane and rebuilt it as Finca Victoria, which opened last February for its first season.

The word hurricane comes from the root word Taíno huracan ‘storm god’ De Marco told me. While the memory of Mary was fresh, she dispelled the notion that disasters were somehow new to Vieques. “This island has been through so many waves of colonialism,” she explained, dodging one of the many wild horses.

Young man riding a horse on a beach with a rainbow in the background, a peach-colored cocktail (all in Vieques, Puerto Rico) Left to right: horseback riding on Esperanza Beach in Vieques; Blok Punch, a cocktail served at the Placita at the El Blok Hotel in Esperanza. | Credit: Soraya Matos.

The history of Vieques has been turbulent; The indigenous Taíno people inhabited the island for about 500 years, until the Spaniards forcibly arrived in the 15th century. France, Britain and even Denmark fought for control of the island for the next three hundred years until it was annexed by Puerto Rico in the early 19th century. Sugarcane production expanded, and with it plantation slavery. When the United States took over Puerto Rico after the Spanish–American War, Vieques was part of that package. With US entry into World War II looming on the horizon, the Navy seized control of more than half of the island, further displacing farmers and locals, and established a base that would remain active until the official withdrawal of the Navy in 2003. year.

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I first came to Vieques in January 2014, staying at La Finca in its previous incarnation: La Finca Caribe, an isolated guesthouse owned by Washington State owner Corky Parker. (Parker bought it in 1996 from Gail Burchard, who built it in the 1980s as a women’s retreat. ) Vieques was once a sleepy place, known, if at all, as a retreat in the middle of nowhere. hippies and those who want to escape the rat race – and, even more infamously, as a place of political upheaval: at 19In 1999 mass demonstrations broke out in protest against the maritime occupation.

During this visit, the small densely wooded island – Vieques is only 21 miles wide and 5 long, with one city each on the north and south coasts – was seething with development, visitors flocking to its black sand beaches and bioluminescent waters. W, by far the largest and most luxurious hotel ever built, has recently opened. Modern, 13-room House on Hicks Island has just expanded. Construction work on El Blok, a stunning concrete hotel in the city of Esperanza, continued, and everyone was excited about his future restaurant under the direction of San Juan chef José Enrique.

Hammock overlooking the greenery on the balcony of the Finca Victoria Hotel in Vieques, Puerto Rico Luxury terrace at La Finca Victoria. | Credit: Soraya Matos.

Maria came as a blow in the stomach. If Puerto Rico was abandoned after the storm, then Vieques, which depended on ferries for food and gasoline, was doubly so. Many residents left, unable or unwilling to restore the building. When Parker returned to clean up and reopen La Finca Caribe, she found the island in a terrible state. In a moment she describes as utter despair and grief, she bequeathed the property to De Marco, who over the years became a constant friend and friend.

The destination is still being restored. De Marco and those who remain have a deep sense of loyalty. “Before Maria, many people forgot about the potential of this island to support the local community,” she told me. “By making us vulnerable, the disaster helped us wake up.”

Today, the 12-room Finca Victoria has been completely transformed under De Marco’s direction – except for the giant rubber tree still shading the walkway. There are plenty of millennial upgrades: vegan breakfast and daily yoga, an honorary bar with local kombucha, and a boutique market that sells homemade herbal teas and jewelry, clothing, and art by Puerto Rican women. But De Marco is more interested in achieving long-term success and sustainability than being in trend.

Finca Victoria hotel restaurant cuisine and partially peeled mango from hotel property Left to right: Ayurvedic cuisine at La Finca Victoria, a guest house and wellness center in Vieques; mango is served on the property. | Credit: Soraya Matos.

Vieques native Ivan Torres Ortiz, owner of the Crab Island Rum distillery that De Marco invited me to visit. “I wanted to stay in Vieques,” he explained in a room littered with barrels, barrels, and stainless steel barrels containing his first commercial shipment. “But I wanted to find work in more than just building and bioluminescent tours.” Figuring out how to make rum was a snap.”

A restless 20-year-old, he began to tinker, designing his own stills and experimenting with recipes. But the molasses pace of the local bureaucracy – and, of course, Maria – delayed its launch. The distillery has finally opened, housed in a former US Navy firehouse in a rural green valley. Ortiz is offering tastings and will soon feature pop-ups with local chefs. He hopes companies like Crab Island will help make Vieques a brand for more than just beaches. “My product will create a lot of jobs, even if indirectly.” De Marco nodded in agreement as we sipped soft orange rum.

While Ortiz focuses on reducing unemployment, others imagine self-sufficiency literally from scratch. We headed up the hill, past the skeletons of once luxurious houses, to Finca’s Conscience, where De Marco’s springs produce for his hotel. This organic farm aims to bring social justice through food security and the revitalization of local growing practices. Farmer Jorge Cora greeted us at the gate, and De Marco walked slowly around his terraced gardens, cutting sacred basil, mustard greens, and fuchsia flowers, pinching leaves, tasting, and asking questions. My attention was divided between the tiers of MacGyvered hives, home to Vieques’ unique honey bee species, and the stunning sea views beyond. The legacy of gun testing in Vieques means farmers sometimes have to deal with contaminated soil, but Cora’s job is to sow the seeds of a nascent food autonomy movement. When it started to rain, he packed up our crate of eggplants and we left.

On my last evening, I drove north from Finca Victoria, past the still-shuttered W, where vines and seedlings overtake the whitewashed walls as nature reasserts its claims. Then I returned to Esperanza, a few square blocks of modest houses and small businesses on the south shore. I was sitting on the fishing pier opposite the Block. The islanders appreciated this Brutalist monster; The building, with its massive generator, housed first responders and local residents forced to flee their homes in the aftermath of the storm, and became a center for emergency services. Carlos Pérez, a native of Puerto Rico who became the head chef of the El Blok restaurant. Bloch provided thousands of free meals after José Enrique returned to San Juan.

El Blok was also the first hotel to open after Maria, welcoming guests only two months later. The hotel has since renewed its commitment to community engagement, moving the restaurant from the rooftop to the ground floor to welcome locals. Perez focuses on seasonal local dishes: pumpkin soup, lobster lobsters, green salads from La Finca Conciencia.

Corner suite with floor-to-ceiling windows in El Block, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. El Blok’s Esquina suites feature two walls with floor-to-ceiling windows. | Credit: Soraya Matos.

Esperanza is a restaurant for visitors to Vieques; notable locations include Quenepo, next to the El Blok restaurant serving small plates and signature cocktails. (They also opened a few rooms last year after what the owners called Hurricane Maria repairs.) I walked down the boardwalk to dine at what has become my favorite restaurant. Guayacán, located in a modest two-story cement building at the end of Esperanza Street.

Owner Marcos Vegas Arias, who ran bars in San Juan, his hometown, for over a decade before opening his modest restaurant in Vieques in 2013, is a born host and moonlights as a local guide. He graciously drove me around the island, taking me to the most secluded beaches, including the rugged and beautiful Playa Negra: a volcanic black sand beach accessible only by hiking along a shallow riverbed.

He is also one of the few restaurant chefs on the island that serves traditional homemade Puerto Rican dishes: chicken stew, toast spread with garlic green sauce, vinegar shell salad. El Guayacán feels like Vieques, and for its sake, a beacon of purpose that has survived both literal disaster and failed disaster relief. I watched the electric orange sun sink into the Caribbean as the musicians in the restaurant sipped the Medalla lights between sets.

Several people reunited for another tourist season greeted each other in Spanglish: “Hello, welcome back.”

A version of this story first appeared in the February 2020 issue of Travel + Leisure magazine under the title Long Live Vieques.

On the issue’s contributors page, we mistakenly identified the writer and her husband, Chris Bradley, as the owners of the Phenicia Diner.