Long lines, complaints, missed flights and disagreements is the panorama experienced on Wednesday at Las Américas’ José Francisco Peña Gómez International Airport (AILA), after hundreds of passengers will be stranded next Tuesday for failing to present the Covid -19 tests like requested by the new restrictive measures from the North American authorities.
At the entrance to the second floor of the airport, the relatives of Evelyn Díaz and Melissa Molina returned to the vehicles to search for them after being returned for presenting invalid PCR tests.
“What happens is that I took the PCR test they asked for, but they told me they had an extra day,” explains Molina.
In Díaz’s case, the situation was similar but precise: he tried to run the test in a lab that operates within AILA facilities, but when he saw the line of people, he gave up.
Derik Caza, who has been trying to get to Puerto Rico since yesterday, dared to queue and while they waited for their turn, pointed out that he had to wait more than two hours.
Caza also said he was one of those stranded in the terminal on Tuesday night after presenting a blood test instead of a negative PCR or antigen test against Covid-19.
Requirements to Travel to the USA
The communications director of Dominican airports Siglo XXI (Aerodom), Luís José López, said that as of Tuesday, US authorities are demanding that all passengers two years or older traveling to their territory must pass a negative Covid-proof test. or antigen carried out within 72 hours prior to travel.
López stressed that most passengers have provided evidence that is unrecognized or after the set deadline, so he called on anyone who has planned trips to ensure they have the correct test.