SBA/UX experience?
 

Next month I have 2 flights connecting through SBA on skywest/UX. What have been your experiences with flights through SBA?
im flying BWI-SFO-SBA-SJC then on way home SJC-SBA-LAX-BWI. I have 25 minutes between flights. Taking a look at flightaware, looks like most flights are delayed. my guess is this is a gamble.
very limited options into SJC, and flights into SFO or OAK were twice as expensive, as with other options into SJC. Plus im going to be in san jose the whole time anyway.
(wish they still had 500 mile minimums)
:)

Flew through SBA on a MR last year. When I arrived, they were dealing with an earlier cancelled flight, and a couple others that were ready for boarding. The terminal was a mad house (particularly because its a small terminal, not so many agents).

Staff accomodated me on a reroute to a co-terminal. It helped me get home sooner, plus I'm sure it helped them with their irregular ops.
In your case, you too have 2 UA hubs within an hour of SBA. If things get real bad, there are options.

That aside, I can think of much worse places to be delayed at than SBA.

thanks!
yeah darn, im stuck in SBA. as long as im in SJC on the 6th for the dc united match ill be happy, and I HOPE I get stuck in SBA on the way home :)

best wishes, and enjoy the scenery in/out sba

If you are worried about bein stuck in SBA, why not just get off at SFO and take a taxi to SJC?

If there is a delay due to air traffic control or weather in and out of either SFO or LAX, being stuck in SBA is very likely.

I often book myself on an earlier flight out of SBA just in case something happens. And I remember driving myself to LAX twice in the past year just to catch my connection because my flight would not have made it in time.

wouldn't that cancel the return on the ticket?

Santa Barbara
 

Santa Barbara is a GREAT place to visit!

thats what I was thinking....at least i have a day planned for problems. oh well, this is what happens when people like me try to find cheap tickets!

thanks ITA! haha

I went through there a couple of years ago on a golf outing.

It's tiny little outpost with an outdoor baggage return that reminded me of something out of the 50's (not that I remember the 50's).

I kind of liked the place.

I didn't think about that!

Low-level marine layer, (fog) in the early AM can honk things up for you. I've been delayed getting there due to this.

But weather-wise, September is a good time for clearer skies. One of the best times of the year besides October IMO.

25 minutes is tight there, depending on the time of the day. Remember, you need to exit security to connect, and re-enter with all of the other passengers. If there is a DEN, LAX, and SFO flight all leaving at the same time, you could get left behind. But the staff there is great, and they know the customers are there because they like the small-airport feel.

I have heard on FT, that if you identify yourself as a connecting passenger, at the gate that lets you out into the non-secured area, they may let you into the gate area with the other folks waiting for departures.

Good luck!

Yeah, the baggage claim is a tent, with no conveyor belt. Just a stand that the guy hand-loads luggage onto, and side cages for locking luggage that doesn't arrive on your flight because UX's cargo hold was too small.

SBA is one of my favorite cities to connect through, especially if I build in a 2-3 hour layover...you walk out the door, turn to your right, walk about 15 minutes, and you're at the beach standing on a pier watching the seagulls and listening to the crashing waves...there is also a restaurant right at the beach and a stand selling yummy tri-tip sandwiches for $5.50 each...that beats walking around another airport gift shop for a few hours if you ask me :)

That and SBA has been doing runway construction this year that resulted in the loss of their ILS. This (according to the posted sign in the terminal) was expected to cause more delays than usual (which are already common--most of mine due to ground stops on flights to SFO). Construction ended late-spring, I believe.

One other thing to keep in mind is that you'll have to re-clear security, which can be a pain. SBA TSA agents take their jobs very seriously. :rolleyes: