Flight Cancelled

lennoxnev wrote:

Is this the blueprint for the Caribbean and Caribbean tourist industry?

Cayman Islands borders are to be closed until at least September. Including to cruise ships.

https://www.caymancompass.com/2020/05/0 … september/

Thanks for posting.

Long time without tourism and who knows how much occurs after opening.

The truth-countries will go bust and its people.  You need an economy to survive.  It boils down to Health vs Economy and my prediction is Economy will win this very ugly debacle.  But that's my opinion.

Ducketts

I have arrived safely in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada after a 2 day journey that started with a 5 hour drive over a mountain range to the Puerto Plata Int'l Airport on Friday to catch the last repatriation flight to Canada. It was organized by the Canadian Embassy and Dominican officials. There were actually 2 flights to accommodate demand.
The embassy stated that it would be the last flight for the "foreseeable future" and now I know why.  The plane that came to get us was the only aircraft anywhere at the Puerto Plata airport. There were no other flights and all stores were closed.  When we got to Toronto, Canada's largest airport, it was a ghost town with no open shops and rows of jetliners parked, with engines and wheels wrapped up, now that they are no longer in service.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner I took to Vancouver on Saturday had 150 vacant seats and Air Canada agents told me that daily direct flights between the 2 cities was reduced from 12 to 3. The Vancouver airport likewise had an airliner parking lot and very little activity.  I then waited in Vancouver for 7 hours to catch a small air craft to Victoria Int'l Airport. Masks were mandatory in all planes and airports.
I am now in 14 day isolation as instituted by the Canadian gov't back in late March. The Brits have dropped the ball with the management of Covid 19. Waiting until June 1st to institute a 14 day isolation period is simply negligent. We have half the population of the U.K. in Canada and 10% of their fatality rate.
We are opening up gradually in British Columbia effective tomorrow. We have 119 fatalities in B.C. and the curve has been completely flattened.

How long have you been trying to get a flight out for?

You can hardly compare Canada to the UK  In fact people should stop comparing period

Ducketts

Governments will be held responsible for their management of this crisis when this is all over. Comparisons will and must be made in order for those who did not act quickly to learn the procedures necessary to reduce exposure. I have been trying to get a flight out since April 1st.

Yes Govs will be held responsible but I repeat you cannot compare countries-even scientists are saying this.

Ducketts

PS  Many Govs have been very poor in arranging repat flights.  There are thousands of people still stuck.

The last flight here SDQ was with Air Europa to Madrid with a heavy bias towards Spaniards.  The Brit Gov has done zilch to repatriate their people from DR.

Wait until you hear this !!!
INCREDIBLE !!

From another forum - my exchange asking about returning to the DR as a Resident

This question started it
Got a flight back home through SDQ on May 23 with JetBlue. Hopefully government will let us legal residents in

My Answer
Legal residents = citizens and reg'd residents is how I read it - cedula holders

Surely, you'll need to prove something before boarding - if not when buying the ticket

Oftentimes , I am asked about my one way flight in to RD
The cedula solves that

and the response
I wish it was that way. They at first told friends of mine that are permanent residents they could fly back last month. The call was made from the airport in Canada. They got on the plane, flew into Punta Cana, but had a police waiting at the plane door to keep them in plane and they had to return back to Canada. Only citizens were allowed to enter

Puts the fear of God in you
Typical ignorance/misunderstanding by RD

Steverino... take note
and anyone else in the resident category

My understanding is that DR like many other countries is in the repatriation phase of getting citizens back home from foreign countries. In todays news there are examples of Dominican nationals in Chile and TCI wanting repatriation.

The Foreign Ministry is involved and has coordinated repatriation flights to date.

The issue of allowing non citizens to come is yet to be decided. Borders are closed.

Yes and citizenship is one thing residency is another.  Lets hope that changes for those whose lives are really here.

Yes, but it was understood prior that citizens, legal residents and spouses of citizens were allowed in

It always depends on the policeman in charge

Think of the expired cedulas out there for residents.........
no entry for them as tourists

lennox
can you point to a country that disallows legal residents
All my reading says - No - Legal is legal
Residents have all the obligations of citizens and rights - but no vote

Think USA Green Card

Emergency Powers changes everything.

Several Caribbean islands are not allowing anybody even citizens to return. Jet Blue just got approval this week for a repatriation flight to TCI.

Contact the Dominican Embassy and see if they can get you on a repatriation flight.

There are no other flights arriving.

Might work....

but if your cedula has expired ??

Then you are a tourist!

Dominicans wishing to be repatriated to the Dominican republic need to coordinate their return with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I attach an article extract in the last couple of days:

It should be noted that several Dominicans stranded in the United States returned to the Dominican Republic, on a coordinated flight between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Consulate General in Miami in the person of their Consul General, Miguel Angel Rodríguez, Spirit executives and the State Department of the United States through its Embassy in the Caribbean country.

This has been standard practice worldwide to register with the relevant embassy so they can coordinate your repatriation flight if it is possible. If they are permitting permanent residents to return the same would apply surely?

For those that doubt that repatriation flights are being arranged through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is ongoing should read the attached article of this afternoon:

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … =blueconic

DR is a small country and has citizens spread far and wide and it is a big challenge. If you think you have a special case contact them!

I don't doubt you lennox

I just find it odd that this couple was 'targeted'
and refused entry w/ cedulas

WW, I think this is a BS story.

Repatriation flights from Canada for Dominicans can be googled:

https://www.diariohispaniola.com/noticia/61446/

The story refers to Punta Cana and there have been no repatriation flights for Dominicans arriving there as far as I can research.

Any guesses on when travel will open up again?

As expected my flight for June was cancelled but showing July flights though at this moment.

Many airlines flying in and out of DR are showing flights mid June onward.

Iberia are re starting DR flights end of June.  Condor 1 July.

I really wish we had a Ryanair mark 2 for long haul Caribbean flights.  This would sort out the men from the boys.

Ryanair in Europe are re starting European flights end of June with initial capacity of 40% and expect to be fully booked on most flights.  Easyjet will follow suit.

Ducketts

No one knows when flights will actually reopen. 

NO ONE.

There are way too many variables.  Airlines posting flights are looking for cash flow.  People booking flights are looking to lock in rates. 

No one knows when flights will actually happen.  Stop speculating and stop asking us!  We don't know!

Very true Planner no one knows.

However economic pressures on all countries are huge and as I said before history will show  economics always wins over everything else in the free capital world.

I know the CEO of Ryanair and if he says his company is restarting, then I wouldn't bet against him.

Time will tell us all.

Ducketts

Really I don't care what any of these airlines say!   If we don't allow flights in they are dead in the water.  If US for example doesn't allow flights out they are dead in the water! 

Again too many variables.  It doesn't matter what any one piece of the puzzle does, it matters what they ALL do!

Sorry Planner have to disagree with you.

Economics always wins-fact.  But let's see what happens.

Good old fashion common sense would be good from some our world leaders-sadly lacking in one or two of them!

Ducketts

Ducketts..... history proves you right

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/heal … story.html

Once we accept the fear factor.... things change
Economics drives the ship

I am not arguing the REASON for the decisions.  Not at all.

My point is that it is not up to any individual airline or government!   

Any airline saying -. We are open is full of Doo Doo!  Going where for goodness sakes?  Clearly not anywhere outside their boarders!!!

Well Planner all I can say to close this subject-Watch Ryanair July 1st.

Ducketts

WillieWeb wrote:

Ducketts..... history proves you right

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/heal … story.html

Once we accept the fear factor.... things change
Economics drives the ship

But no one knows if an economy can survive with a serious plague uncontrolled in its midst for a long period of time and they are just experimenting with peoples health and lives. Illness shuts down production lines and supply chains as proven with the meat industry in the USA. Illness will kill the service, aviation  and tourism industries too and decimate health provision which will have to keep dealing with uncontrolled illness and death. Control is the only hope until and if ever a vaccine is discovered or there is certainty about immunity and who it affects and how long, and the virus doesn't mutate - which is unrealistic.

Some countries get it and are doing things very cautiously based upon medical science. Others are gung ho.

Just look at Brazil now and Bolsanaro's massive errors of misunderstanding and denial of covid19.

Boeing CEO: "No matter the size of the airlines, they are all at risk"


https://www.arecoa.com/videos/2020/05/1 … an-riesgo/

May 13, 2020

The CEO of Boeing , David Calhoun predicted that a major US airline go bankrupt as a result of the Covid-19.

Through an interview on NBC, Calhoun said that, no matter the size of the airlines, they are all at risk. And, in response to the question about whether "there could be a major American airline that simply has to close the deal," his response has been blunt: "I don't want to be overly predictive on that topic, but yes, most likely, something will happen. when September comes ”.

Inevitable that more airlines will go bankrupt and the big American carriers have been bailed out with conditions and when those conditions expire there will probably be news. Too many companies out there with large financial commitments and the future air traffic will be considerably less.

Airbus are at risk and Boeing too.

lennoxnev wrote:

WillieWeb wrote:

Ducketts..... history proves you right

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/heal … story.html

Once we accept the fear factor.... things change
Economics drives the ship

But no one knows if an economy can survive with a serious plague uncontrolled in its midst for a long period of time and they are just experimenting with peoples health and lives. Illness shuts down production lines and supply chains as proven with the meat industry in the USA. Illness will kill the service, aviation  and tourism industries too and decimate health provision which will have to keep dealing with uncontrolled illness and death. Control is the only hope until and if ever a vaccine is discovered or there is certainty about immunity and who it affects and how long, and the virus doesn't mutate - which is unrealistic.

Some countries get it and are doing things very cautiously based upon medical science. Others are gung ho.

Just look at Brazil now and Bolsanaro's massive errors of misunderstanding and denial of covid19.

To me- the article indicates - Yes - it can survive - and has before
more than once

The people will adjust and go forward

Wasn't one of those examples from the 1300's ?
not much proactive reaction then - I assume

The world survives.... not in the same form.... but survival nonetheless

For 'ducketts' to lift your morale.......

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52644291

Coronavirus: Tui urges opening up tourism to safer countries

Was just reading that the same principles of opening up land borders between Germany, Austria and Denmark where a level of control has been achieved.

It is the 'bubble' concept allowing for covid19 being with us a for a very long time. Controlled travel between 'safer'countries?

DR may not be one of them!

No we are not likely to be on that list, for sure.

Let's hope you're wrong

Ducketts

https://noticiassin.com/el-pais-estara- … e-turismo/

Reading between the lines it looks like they are hoping to have flights coming in with foreigners in two months - mid July - but that will also depend on the countries from where the passengers are coming from.

They are aiming to have all their covid19 protocolas in place in one month - mid June - and implying domestic tourism from then until foreigners can come.

August always seemed the earliest for international arrivals and lets hope DR gets the virus under control to allow the opening of international flights from 'safe' countries before then. It needs to do better as of today.

Seems it could also imply, forget booking any flights unless Dominican until mid July and even then you may have to go to a protocol approved resort for your stay if tourist.

Mix in the article I just read about the expected explosion of cases in Haiti.  With us sharing an island and almost impossible to fully close the boarder  this will have an effect on inbound tourism. 

Haiti is fully unprepared to deal with this, manage this, save lives or isolate the sick.  Just as many fled to Haiti when it started here, they will want to come back as it gets bad there!

With the potential opening of tourism from July 5th, the development of protocols for living alongside covid19 continue for the hospitality sector. See below.

If you arrive as 'tourist', do expect to be 'managed' as 'tourist' from your arrival to departure.

My advice to any property owners or people who had a life here with partner who have not got residency to seriously start thinking about it. Or you could be waiting quite some time to visit again. The handling of visitors and the risks for both them and the domestic population is going to be a feature of international travel for some time, hence greater controls would seem inevitable.

Yesterday is not tomorrow with covid19.

Rigorous protocols will mark the reopening of tourism in the Dominican Republic

https://www.arecoa.com/hoteles/2020/05/ … isitantes/

Three executives of the National Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores) announced that, with the reopening of the tourism industry, new management of visitors will be established to guarantee them and the local team, the health and safety of their vacations .

Andrés Marranzini , Rafael Blanco Tejera , and Simón Suárez , communicated, during a virtual conversation called by the Dominican Association of Tourist Press ( Adompretur ), how the new management of visitors and diners of restaurants will be.

The executives indicated that there will be fundamental modifications from air travel, remote accommodation between rooms and meals, and activities and excursions.

In addition, they said that, since the air transfer, rapid tests will be carried out on all travelers to detect any positivity and take the corresponding measures.

Marranzini details that for the reopening stage it is necessary to discard for various reasons, the stage of the hotels completely full with a multitude of visitors massively attending the buffet for lunch or crowded to

“The new protocols establish that where possible, breakfast will be brought to the rooms, they will be accommodated in rooms not attached to each other, elevators will be avoided and in four-story facilities, only two floors will be used to install visitors ”says the executive vice president of Asonahores.

Likewise, they detailed that the hotels are located in large areas, generally far from population centers.

They also explained that in hotels the risk of someone getting sick is the same as that experienced in any part of the community and that if any health problem arises, as possible, the hotels have a consulting room that offers the first attention and it has to do to handle each case healthily.

Likewise, measures will be taken to avoid massive leisure activities, while all contact with the members of the team that caters to tourists will be controlled with strict biosecurity measures.

The three managers indicated that there will also be changes in the restaurants, which will establish a distance between tables, with reservations for better control and satisfaction of diners.

The discussion was moderated by the president of Adompretur, José María Reyes , with the participation of the national board and the general secretaries of its subsidiaries in the destinations of the Dominican Republic and abroad.

You know I had not thought about that. IF you come on a tourist visa and that may or may not allow stays at their own apartment or an air BnB..... yikes.   Well that sure changes the game for many.

That right there is a darn good reason to go read the  thread on  Residency!

THANKS as usual

What about leaving the country  I see Air Europa have 2 schedule flights SDQ-MAD on 23 25 May

Is the beginning of a gradual start up of other flights.  I note as well Iberia still plan flights from the end of June?

Ducketts

The main tourist players are developing protocols and this has extended to the hotels in Zona Colonial. Nothing firm yet but the theme is always 'the health and safety form arrival during stay and departure'.  Think about it. Not easy to do unless controlled. Residents would probably have to quarantine. Some major issues to plan and other countries are no different and face the same challenges.

New world.