Hold Up At The Airport

Every time in..............

and out..............2 times per month for 13 years..........................

EVERYONE is in on it...........

just say no

IF MORE OF US DON'T PAY THIS EXTORTION, LET EM CHECK YOUR BAGS THEY WILL EVENTUALLY TIRE OF THIS. i ALSO TRAVEL WITH A CARRY ON SO i USUALLY DONT GET CHECKED AND i NEVER GIVE THEM MONEY.

break even

Have your 2 Presidentes landside and spare RD$100 for the boys in green

It is simply money for services rendered. If you pay, you move through those lines like greased lightening. If I want to move through fast, I pay a little... if I don't care or have the time to hang around, I don't. The system actually works I think.

it amazes me how flagrant they are in their attempt to shake you down...as you walk their way ..they're all waving at you for attention....they take the money without any attempt to put some "shade" on it...which leads me to believe that there's no one to "complain" to..because they're all in the same boat.

I only wish I could pay someone at customs in the U.S. $5 to go through quickly with no bags opened.

my 3 times of travelling there i have never been checked...maybe #1 bc i am a female, but also bc when i get to customs they start speaking to me in spanish and i look at them all crazy and say "what did you say??" and then they all start talking and must say oh just let her go she speaks english and i walk thru.....hope this continues to work....i would only pay them if i for some reason was carrying something that i didn't want them to see, but that usually isn't the case....oh yeah, also this is in general when im travelling anywhere as far as when they search your bags....i put all my thongs and bras in suitcase last so they are on top....so far its worked good bc i've had the searchers open up suitcase, see them, lift a few items, then zip er up.....

audboogie said:

my 3 times of travelling there i have never been checked...maybe #1 bc i am a female, but also bc when i get to customs they start speaking to me in spanish and i look at them all crazy and say "what did you say??" and then they all start talking and must say oh just let her go she speaks english and i walk thru.....hope this continues to work....i would only pay them if i for some reason was carrying something that i didn't want them to see, but that usually isn't the case....oh yeah, also this is in general when im travelling anywhere as far as when they search your bags....i put all my thongs and bras in suitcase last so they are on top....so far its worked good bc i've had the searchers open up suitcase, see them, lift a few items, then zip er up.....

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I use to give them 100 pesos so they didn't wrinkle my clothes. I did this and they wrinkled my clothes and asked for more money. I told him to screw off and won't pay a nickle again even if I have to go to jail.

I will NOT speak one word of Spanish to them because if I do they will ask for money. They say Hola and I say "How the heck are you doing man"? They say something else I wave at them and keep walking like I have NO clue.

Screw em, I won't pay crap!

Escott

Escott said:

I use to give them 100 pesos so they didn't wrinkle my clothes. I did this and they wrinkled my clothes and asked for more money. I told him to screw off and won't pay a nickle again even if I have to go to jail.

I will NOT speak one word of Spanish to them because if I do they will ask for money. They say Hola and I say "How the heck are you doing man"? They say something else I wave at them and keep walking like I have NO clue.

Screw em, I won't pay crap!

Escott

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Absolutely agree with Scott. I have the stupid gringo act down to a science. I will hold up the arrival line at the customs benches until they get annoyed enough to just wave me through. I have NEVER had a bag searched, other than carry on when departing. And since I usually arrive on a charter of pasty white gringos it is a very believable scenario.

The stupid gringo act usually works when departing too but I did have a very persistent chap one year. When I got tired of him asking for a propina I announced in a loud voice "No es propina - es mordida!" whereupon I was rushed through security faster than I imagined was possible.

Gregg

Geez, I'm amazed. I thought you guys would be fine with a tip. That is how I see it, its simply a tip...

It is not a tip, it is a bribe, as Gregg said. The longer tourists give in and pay it, the longer they will continue to demand money.

In June, we had customs clearance ARRANGED for the participants in a free dental clinic and customs in Puerto Plata still tried to extort money. It took an hour, but we left without paying a peso. As far as I am concerned, it is a matter of principle - paying bribes just encourages them to continue to demand them.

I'm with Chris. Things like that don't get me all hot and bothered. If I was trying to get by on what most of those people make, I would be looking for ways to supplement my income, too.

A tourist arriving in the DR is usually going to have little to fear from an inspection, but a resident returning from a trip to the US is going to have his bags loaded with items for which duty can be charged. Some guy telling me the bags can go through unopened in exchange for a "tip" is music to my ears.

Life is too short to get your blood pressure up because you must pay a few bucks at the airport.

customs

Hi


We have been 3 times this year and my stepdad got pulled last time and asked for money. Hes not one to mess with and said no.....

It seems to be getting worse in the customs area not better.

Im not bothered though it wont stop me from going back.....

Infact I will be there for NY again this year....

Natalie

Chris and Ken,

I agree that it's not about the money. In my case it's about the sheer idiocy of shaking down tourists in a land which depends on tourism.

As many know I am a Director of Debbie's Dominican Republic Children's Foundation www.beyondthebeach.org (as is hlywud of this board) and we encourage tourists from all over the world to bring school supplies, clothing and other items for donation to the Dominican charities which we support. We have drop off locations in Puerto Plata, Sosua and Cabarete and soon (fingers crossed) in Punta Cana. If these Customs knuckle-draggers find a cache of school supplies or anything else which seems like a cookie jar to them they will try to extort "their share" from unknowing tourists who are then totally disillusioned when they discover that they have been shaken down by a governmental representative.

This is why as a principle I personally will never give in to these idiots who think that tourists are their personal flock to fleece.

Mi dos pesos.

Gregg

FireGuy said:

Chris and Ken,

I agree that it's not about the money. In my case it's about the sheer idiocy of shaking down tourists in a land which depends on tourism. ...Gregg

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Not only tourists! Here's an article in today's EL NACIONAL where Dominican women on their way to France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Germany, and Caribbean islands have been 'shaken down' with USD100 and more by military personnel on duty at AILA airport, with the threat of having them go through a degrating body search and making them lose their flights.

That happened to me in Puerto Plata too, when they asked me for money, I told them that I wanted to speak to their supervisor. then they stoped. Thats why I like santiago airport everything is fast, They are not allowed to ask you for money if they do they can get fired.

FireGuy said:

I have the stupid gringo act down to a science.

The stupid gringo act usually works when departing too

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Sorry for my ignorance, but........ why does it work better to do the gringo act as opposed to speaking in spanish from the start?

Its never personally happened to me but i have only been half a dozen times.

tired_boy said:

Sorry for my ignorance, but........ why does it work better to do the gringo act as opposed to speaking in spanish from the start?

Its never personally happened to me but i have only been half a dozen times.

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they get frustrated...and give up.

paul00 said:

HELLO NEW TO THIS GROUP.
where can i go to file a formal complaint?..
have been to the airport in puerto plata over 15 times.... every time i come in and some times when i leave iam asked to PAY SOME DOLLARS at the airport..... we will not SEARCH your LUGGAGE if you give us some MONEY the CUSTOMS guys say.... my answer is search them only they have my clothes in them....
some thing should be done about this... i also have heard this same story from many others.... who have gone though the same thing....

thanks paul

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Gregorio Luperon (Puerto Plata) airport is operated by aerodom. You can post your complaints to them, if you want.

BTW, there is a sign above the baggage claim areas that clearly prohibits anyone from giving money to anyone. I know people here don't follow rules, but always point to the sign and shake your head in a no direction, looking at them straight in the eyes without blinking.

They will get the point rather quickly.

If the situation increases to ridiculous serious levels (I suppose this hardly happens), ask to be put in contact with the embassy of your home country here.

In addition to that, always ask for the person's name and identification number, if they have one. Afterwards, post a complaint to Aerodrom. This enterprise has been working diligently for a few years now in bringing the airports up-to-date, more efficient, cleaner, safer, and better managed overall.

Having said all of that, your complaints may fall on deaf ears....:cross-eye

Their number is the following (Notice, it's all in Spanish):

For Las Americas:

809-412-5888

For the Customer Service: extension 2132

If you want, email one of the following people:

Ken Hassard (Commercial Director) khasard@aerodom.com

or

Sharon Mei (Commercial Manager) s.mei@aerodom.com

or

Julissa Mateo (Service Manager) j.mateo@aerodom.com

For Gregorio Luperon:

809-586-0408

Customer Service: Extension 221

or

Maximo Iglesias (Commercial Manager) m.iglesias@aerodom.com