After reading all the reviews and seeing pictures of St. Maarten, I knew I had to take a vacation there. So, I booked a 5-day stay at the Maho Beach Resort for my parents, my brother, and me. We got a good deal, with airfare and hotel accommodations included, for a total of nearly $4000. Our flight was scheduled to depart on August 23, 2004, and we were scheduled to return on August 27, 2004.
American Airlines: Flight 667
23 August 2004
Departing Airport: JFK @ 08:15a
Arriving Airport: SXM @ 12:14p
Aircraft Registration: N683A
Aircraft Type: Boeing B757-200
The night before our departure, we packed frantically, and I ended up in only getting two hours of sleep. I awoke at 4a, and got ready. Car service arrived, and drove us to John F. Kennedy’s Terminal 8. Right outside the terminal was chaos. Many passengers were preparing for their early morning flights. Once inside the terminal, we checked our luggage, got some breakfast, and headed toward the gate area. We arrived at nearly 7a, one hour and fifteen minutes before scheduled departure. From the window, I was able to get a nice view of our aircraft:

The boarding process began at nearly 7:30a, which was great. I was one of the first passengers aboard, and was greeted by the pilot, the co-pilot, and a few of the flight attendants. I headed toward my seat, which was located a bit behind the wing.

Boarding for our flight went rather quickly, and it was apparent I was on a full flight. The L1 door was closed and secure, and the flight attendant made a few announcements. We pushed back from the gate earlier than expected. This was one of the reasons why I enjoyed the flight; we departed on time and arrived a few minutes early.

As we taxied to the active runway, we passed the British Airways terminal, the United Airlines terminal, and the JetBlue terminal. Since I’m not a frequent flier, it was very nice to be aboard a 757, one of my favorite types of aircraft, and it was also interested to see the different types of aircraft and different airlines as we taxied.


As we waited at the threshold of runway 31L, I spotted a Song aircraft. Song is one of my favorite airlines, and to my surprise, this was the aircraft I was aboard back in February 2004. We received clearance, and the pilot taxied onto runway 31L. Within a few moments, we began our take-off roll, and ascended into that air. Upon take-off, I got a great view of an empty Terminal 1. Only one aircraft was present, which was an Aeromexico B757.

The pilot maneuvered that aircraft so that we made a sharp left turn out toward the Atlantic Ocean. With the proposed angle, I was able to get a shot of the Belt Parkway, Starrett City, and even a faint image of the NYC skyline. In New York, due to the haze and pollution, I feel that photos do not come out so nice.

The aircraft gracefully sliced through the air, and as we finally reached 33,000ft, the pilot announced that the in-flight meal service would begin. For breakfast, passengers had a choice of either cereal or a hot egg sandwich. I chose the egg sandwich, and with it, I received a juice, a biscuit, and a fruit. Overall, the food was good for an airline meal. Additionally, the service was great, and the flight attendants were very nice, and helpful people.
Midway into the flight, we passed over the island of Bermuda. It was great to see an aerial view of the island; I spent a portion of one of my previous summers on that island, and it was an exciting vacation.

The flight would be a total of four hours, so I had to kill some time. Listening to music on an aircraft without PTVs is a great way to do this. I also spent the entire flight looking out the window, and snapping shots every now and then at the interesting cloud formations. After passing by Bermuda, we were greeted with continuous rainbows. That’s what I like about the Caribbean; the air is clear, there are rainbows after a shower, and the waters are beautiful.
The flight began to near its end as land started to appear. Island after island passed, showing a nice contrast of colors between land and water.

We approached the island of St. Maarten from the west, so the pilot made a 180-degree turn to line up from Princess Juliana’s runway 09. With flaps extended, and landing gear deployed, we began our final approach. I remember looking at the window, and it seems as if you’re going to land in the ocean.

Within time, we passed directly over Maho Beach, and descended onto the tarmac. The landing was very smooth, and the break was not too abrupt. Clearly, the pilot had done a great job. This is another reason why I applaud AA. The pilots were great, the flight attendants were great, and the aircraft was great.
We made a 180-degree turn yet again, and we faced Maho Beach. We backtracked down runway 09-27, and turned off to our assigned gate. The aircraft stopped, and we were allowed to exit the aircraft. As I exited, I was amazed at how large the B757 really is. I exited through the aft door, and down the stairs onto the tarmac. I’ve never been the close to an aircraft, so it was a gift for me. I snapped one final shot of the front of our plane.

I enjoyed my flight and my stay in St. Maarten. I highly recommend American Airlines, and if you’re traveling to the Caribbean, St. Maarten is the place to go! You can spend time relaxing on Maho Beach while aircraft fly overhead on approach for runway 09!
Check back soon for the review on my returning flight [AA 660]. Also check out my photos in the database. I will be uploading more photos from St. Maarten as soon as I get a chance!
American Airlines: Flight 667
23 August 2004
Departing Airport: JFK @ 08:15a
Arriving Airport: SXM @ 12:14p
Aircraft Registration: N683A
Aircraft Type: Boeing B757-200
The night before our departure, we packed frantically, and I ended up in only getting two hours of sleep. I awoke at 4a, and got ready. Car service arrived, and drove us to John F. Kennedy’s Terminal 8. Right outside the terminal was chaos. Many passengers were preparing for their early morning flights. Once inside the terminal, we checked our luggage, got some breakfast, and headed toward the gate area. We arrived at nearly 7a, one hour and fifteen minutes before scheduled departure. From the window, I was able to get a nice view of our aircraft:

The boarding process began at nearly 7:30a, which was great. I was one of the first passengers aboard, and was greeted by the pilot, the co-pilot, and a few of the flight attendants. I headed toward my seat, which was located a bit behind the wing.

Boarding for our flight went rather quickly, and it was apparent I was on a full flight. The L1 door was closed and secure, and the flight attendant made a few announcements. We pushed back from the gate earlier than expected. This was one of the reasons why I enjoyed the flight; we departed on time and arrived a few minutes early.

As we taxied to the active runway, we passed the British Airways terminal, the United Airlines terminal, and the JetBlue terminal. Since I’m not a frequent flier, it was very nice to be aboard a 757, one of my favorite types of aircraft, and it was also interested to see the different types of aircraft and different airlines as we taxied.


As we waited at the threshold of runway 31L, I spotted a Song aircraft. Song is one of my favorite airlines, and to my surprise, this was the aircraft I was aboard back in February 2004. We received clearance, and the pilot taxied onto runway 31L. Within a few moments, we began our take-off roll, and ascended into that air. Upon take-off, I got a great view of an empty Terminal 1. Only one aircraft was present, which was an Aeromexico B757.

The pilot maneuvered that aircraft so that we made a sharp left turn out toward the Atlantic Ocean. With the proposed angle, I was able to get a shot of the Belt Parkway, Starrett City, and even a faint image of the NYC skyline. In New York, due to the haze and pollution, I feel that photos do not come out so nice.

The aircraft gracefully sliced through the air, and as we finally reached 33,000ft, the pilot announced that the in-flight meal service would begin. For breakfast, passengers had a choice of either cereal or a hot egg sandwich. I chose the egg sandwich, and with it, I received a juice, a biscuit, and a fruit. Overall, the food was good for an airline meal. Additionally, the service was great, and the flight attendants were very nice, and helpful people.
Midway into the flight, we passed over the island of Bermuda. It was great to see an aerial view of the island; I spent a portion of one of my previous summers on that island, and it was an exciting vacation.

The flight would be a total of four hours, so I had to kill some time. Listening to music on an aircraft without PTVs is a great way to do this. I also spent the entire flight looking out the window, and snapping shots every now and then at the interesting cloud formations. After passing by Bermuda, we were greeted with continuous rainbows. That’s what I like about the Caribbean; the air is clear, there are rainbows after a shower, and the waters are beautiful.
The flight began to near its end as land started to appear. Island after island passed, showing a nice contrast of colors between land and water.

We approached the island of St. Maarten from the west, so the pilot made a 180-degree turn to line up from Princess Juliana’s runway 09. With flaps extended, and landing gear deployed, we began our final approach. I remember looking at the window, and it seems as if you’re going to land in the ocean.

Within time, we passed directly over Maho Beach, and descended onto the tarmac. The landing was very smooth, and the break was not too abrupt. Clearly, the pilot had done a great job. This is another reason why I applaud AA. The pilots were great, the flight attendants were great, and the aircraft was great.
We made a 180-degree turn yet again, and we faced Maho Beach. We backtracked down runway 09-27, and turned off to our assigned gate. The aircraft stopped, and we were allowed to exit the aircraft. As I exited, I was amazed at how large the B757 really is. I exited through the aft door, and down the stairs onto the tarmac. I’ve never been the close to an aircraft, so it was a gift for me. I snapped one final shot of the front of our plane.

I enjoyed my flight and my stay in St. Maarten. I highly recommend American Airlines, and if you’re traveling to the Caribbean, St. Maarten is the place to go! You can spend time relaxing on Maho Beach while aircraft fly overhead on approach for runway 09!
Check back soon for the review on my returning flight [AA 660]. Also check out my photos in the database. I will be uploading more photos from St. Maarten as soon as I get a chance!
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