Airports to be shut down for 15 days from 10th Jan ??

[lifeisgreat]

How serious do you honestly think these rumours are bc I will have to book 2 new flights tomorrow for Sat if this is true, we just can't be stuck here any longer but it involves a lot of money as we are also bringing 7 animals with us and switching to a different airline etc...

I talked to my family in pop airport haven’t heard a thing...if it was even thing you will be able to leave sat .Hotel California such a lovely place...

 

[KITTU]

There is a rumour circulating amongst hoteliers that the government is about to announce a shut-down of airports for 15 days from 10th January. Been reported to me now by four separate people, all who either run hotels or are important people in the world of tourism. May be just Punta Cana that is being closed, but I suspect it will be all airports if the rumour is true. Reason is concerns over the new strain of Covid, not wanting to allow it to enter the countr

 

[KITTU]

i will confirm this news tomorrow!

 

[Harleysrock]

i will confirm this news tomorrow!

Thank you!

 

[Africaida]

I certainly hope it goes into effect Monday cause Sunday is when I am flying back.

 

[KITTU]

Just got the message that the PC airport will not close. So far the above news is just a rumour. There is a lot of incertitude all around and mis information. All those flying in to DR will be required to bring a PCR. The dominican airports will exige a PCR to enter the country.

 

[KITTU]

I certainly hope it goes into effect Monday cause Sunday is when I am flying back.

why would you even wish for it...

 

[badpiece33]

Yes I agree, it's our animals that are the biggest issue and why we have had to wait until after Xmas to leave. We won't leave without them so that would be the only concern with the ferry flights is animals allowed on. Will sleep on it and decide what to do tomorrow. Thanks for the info.

Ferry flights operate like any other, you should have no issues booking the animals

 

[chico bill]

And kiss the rest of the season adios tambien.

That's already a given

 

[chico bill]

Ferry flights operate like any other, you should have no issues booking the animals

How serious do you honestly think these rumours are bc I will have to book 2 new flights tomorrow for Sat if this is true, we just can't be stuck here any longer but it involves a lot of money as we are also bringing 7 animals with us and switching to a different airline etc...

Good for you not abandoning your animals

 

[Africaida]

why would you even wish for it...

Did I ever express that wish?
I simply hope that they don't announce it while I am in the air on my way to DR (that is if the rumor is true). Plus, my kid have school on Monday.
But, I am highly skeptical on that one.

 

[cavok]

Back in March/April how did this airport shutdown go down, did they give tourists already on the island a few days to be able to leave? Or were they just stuck here for 15-30 days?

From what I remember, there was not any advance notice that the airports would close. There were ferry flights and JetBlu continued continued scheduled flights back to the US. Some people were stuck here for quite a while before they could get back.

 

[windeguy]

The people who have told me are all serious people in the industry. Nobody in the government as yet. Tonight a friend of mine who works at Punta Cana airport and had just got his job back was told that he is being laid off from the 10th for two months. In reality I guess that there are discussions going on in government and the final decision has not yet been taken. In your position I would suggest that you book two fully flexible tickets for Saturday which can be cancelled last minute without a penalty and then wait to see what happens.

How soon do you think they will announce this? We are only 4 days away from the 10th. DR1 just seemed to have a problem with a post for one topic being posted in another thread. Odd.. I see what happened, people talking about airline embargoes and money transfers in the same thread. Never mind.

So will they stop all flights? Time will tell, and it won't be much time if the 10th is the day they stop.

 

[nomiiiii]

There will be thousands of tourists stuck here who came during winter holidays if they announce this only 3 days out. Surely the announcement will allow for a few days for people to leave the island otherwise it will be a global news story making DR an unsafe option for years to come (this isn't March when everyone was shutting down so not a big focus on one country)

 

[windeguy]

There will be thousands of tourists stuck here who came during winter holidays if they announce this only 3 days out. Surely the announcement will allow for a few days for people to leave the island otherwise it will be a global news story making DR an unsafe option for years to come (this isn't March when everyone was shutting down so not a big focus on one country)

The same was said during the alcohol issue some months back that nobody would come again. Remember that?

The new virus strain picked a bad time to pop up, didn't it? Maybe tomorrow we will know more about flights. Or the next day.

 

[windeguy]

folks another tale told. I still believe the world is flat...... if you believe that too..... hit the like button..

I just deposit checks and wait for them to clear. Fill the pipe line and live with that option for me.

Flatness is relative, but it would make flying more direct if it were true., if they continue to even fly, which is of course the current question of the day.

 

[johne]

It started as a" RUMOR." Very typical. We are now less than 24 hours later "wondering when they will make the "ANNOUNCEMENT." It must be gospel , wouldn't you think if an announcement is on the way? Clearly. Not.

 

[Russell]

How serious do you honestly think these rumours are bc I will have to book 2 new flights tomorrow for Sat if this is true, we just can't be stuck here any longer but it involves a lot of money as we are also bringing 7 animals with us and switching to a different airline etc...

A complete logistics nightmare.

 

[Ecoman1949]

Why would the government close airports and require PCR testing in an effort to stop the variants entering the DR.? The variants are world wide now and it’s more than likely they are in the DR given the large number of UK tourists that have travelled to the DR since last fall. Hopefully the latest new highly infectious South African variant that is resistant to the vaccines is not. The PCR test only indicates positive or negative. They don’t indicate if it’s a variant. That requires genome testing, which I would imagine is very limited in the DR, if it exists at all.

The fecal material has already hit the aerator in Canada. This morning, many Canadian families are stuck abroad having difficulty obtaining PCR tests. The airlines are asking the government for a delay of a week or two because the onus is on them to ensure passengers returning to Canada have the tests. Now the DR government wants to join the PCR test requirement madness. Too little too late and it will all come crashing down at Canadian airports soon.

This is a gong show folks, and as painful as it is, it will have to play out until some degree of sanity starts to prevail.

 

[windeguy]

It started as a" RUMOR." Very typical. We are now less than 24 hours later "wondering when they will make the "ANNOUNCEMENT." It must be gospel , wouldn't you think if an announcement is on the way? Clearly. Not.

Yes but from a reliable rumor source which is almost a sure thing, no?