2023-11-27 16:19:00
Nunzia is one of 89 passengers still stranded in Punta Cana. She was supposed to spend two weeks on vacation in Jamaica, but in the end, she has been tossed between the hotel and the airport for 5 days.
This morning, we spoke to you regarding passengers from the TUI company who had to return to Brussels from Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. Due to a plane breakdown, 300 passengers have been stranded there since Thursday. Although they were finally able to return to Brussels this Monday, other passengers are not yet out of the woods.
Nunzia, a resident of Charleroi, was to spend two weeks in Jamaica. She landed in Punta Cana on Thursday for her stopover. She was on the plane that crashed: “when we arrived, the plane had a bad landing. There was smoke, the firefighters arrived. They said there was a breakdown“, she explains to us.
At the airport, Nunzia and 89 passengers remained “until evening” hoping to be able to get on a plane and arrive in Jamaica. No plane was found, so the passengers were put up in a hotel.
Orlane, her husband and her son, French travelers, were on the same plane. “We waited until midnight. They announced that they were putting us up at a resort. So, at the beginning, we took it quite well“
The next day, passengers received the good news: spare parts were being sent to Punta Cana to repair the plane. The travelers were taken to the airport. Unfortunately, these parts are not enough. For several days in a row, travelers found themselves at the airport, hoping to be able to catch their flight, without success. “Until now, we were very supportive. We were angry, but we went with the flow. People took it philosophically“, admits Orlane. This Sunday, the tension went up a notch.
We stayed at the airport until 2:15 a.m., without water, without food
“TUI tells us they have found a solution“, Nunzia tells us. “They found a plane. The Dominican company Air Century will take care of us“When we arrived at the airport, the wait was long.”Around 10:30 p.m., we wondered if there was a problem“, she tells us. The crew of this company had, in fact, exceeded the limits of working time regulations. “It was a mess, carnage. We stayed at the airport until 2:15 a.m., without water, without food. We arrived at the hotel at 3 a.m.“, deplores the vacationer who says to herself “punctured“.
Orlane was there too: “Yesterday some people lost their tempers. They said they were on picket line and would not leave. What was annoying was that the staff were filming us and making fun of us“, she reports.
For 5 days, passengers have been hoping to be able to catch their flight, thrown between hotels and the airport. “This is the 4th hotel we have visited. Every day they tell us to leave the hotel. We don’t take advantage. I lost 5 days of travel. I paid 6000 euros“, regrets Nunzia.
Sarah Saucin, TUI spokesperson, justifies this situation: “Initially, we transported spare parts in order to repair the plane and continue our flight towards Jamaica. Unfortunately, these parts were not enough to repair the plane. Then, we found a solution so that passengers might continue their journey yesterday. Unfortunately, due to a flight permit problem, we were unable to take off“.
Passengers will be able to reach Jamaica this evening
Good news however, the company assures that a new solution has been found: “We have finally obtained the flight permits and passengers will be able to fly to Jamaica this evening“, says Sarah Saucin.
Passengers initially received a message informing them that they would be reimbursed 600 euros. This followingnoon, Sarah Saucin announces that they will be reimbursed for each day of vacation lost.
Also read “The end of the holidays turns into a nightmare”: Julie and 300 Belgians stuck in Punta Cana since Thursday, a solution has been found
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