The chief executive officer of Pawa Airline in the Dominican Republic, Gary Stone was about to leave the country on Saturday, 3 February 2018, with his wife for Miami, Florida when he was stopped when passing through Migration at the Punta Cana International Airport. He then learned that the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) had scheduled a meeting on Monday, 5 February he should attend. A source told Listin Diario reporters that Stone is under an official order not to leave the country.
The JAC has suspended the Pawa’s permission to fly. The airline has stranded hundreds of passengers who had purchased fares on the airline and carried out the first part of their travel plans. JAC had announced on 27 January that the airline’s operations were suspended for outstanding taxes and debts with the Las Americas International Airport operators, for an estimated US$7 million.
Listin Diario reported that a source told them the airline has been given until Monday, 5 February (JAC Resolution 18-2018) to come forth with a plan on how the airline will come through for passengers that have traveled on the Pawa tickets and have not been able to complete the second half of their flight, prior to taking legal actions against the airline.
Prior to the suspension, the airline flew regular flights from Las Americas International (SDQ) to Miami, Florida, Havana, Cuba, Sint Marteen, Curacao, Aruba and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The airline’s operations were seriously affected by hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017 that devastated many of their flight destinations.
Meanwhile, Ferries del Caribe is offering a US$79 one-way deal to transport the San Juan, Puerto Rico-bound stranded passengers, as reported in Listin Diario.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
Listin Diario
5 February 2018
