Super Shuttle? Stupor Shuffle!
Your mileage may vary, but if your travel situation is similar, be warned.
Timeline:
around 4PM - Flight arrived on a Friday at JFK Int'l. Airport
by 4:30PM - picked up checked bags
by 4:40PM - used Terminal 4 courtesy phone to call about reservation
by 4:50PM - the first estimate of van arrival passed
Was redirected by a driver to sign in with Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (never mind I had given my reservation # on the phone, and had talked to someone on the basis of that reservation)
after 5:25PM - Got fed up with the Port Authority people who operate separately from the call center, and had no info. to help me. Called again the call center who assured me that the van would arrive in
another 15 mins. Got the van number this time.
by 5:40PM - we got in the van
We asked around the van while the driver was out, and found one lady got picked up in 17 mins with no reservation, and one couple had waited an hour like we did. Most in the van were foreigners (who feared a
taxi driver would cheat them?)
by 6:00PM - the van picked up its final of 10 passengers at Terminal 8, and began to leave the airport
by 8:30PM - finally arrived at our destination, the last of the 10 passengers to disembark
What we learned: Unless you are broke or a risk-averse foreigner, and have a couple of hours to waste, I cannot imagine why you would not take the Airtrain&subway or a taxi from JFK. If you still want to take Super Shuttle, note that having a reservation is a liability, as you will not be able to walk away without losing your fare. We immediately canceled the return half of our reservation, and loved the subway-Airtrain combo. we took early Mon. morning, which got us to
JFK in both a fraction of the time and cost of Stupor Shuttle.
Pros: Still thinking...
Cons: Hours&money wasted, packed in, trapped by reservation, etc.
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