Local Man Stranded in Caribbean After Irma's Wrath

WASHINGTON — It was supposed to be a fun guys-only trip to the Caribbean — then, Hurricane Irma showed up.

Now, a D.C.-area resident is struggling to get back home.

Taylor, who declined to give her last name, said she’s been frustrated trying to get her husband back home following Hurricane Irma, which hit the Dominican Republic on Thursday. She says her husband and three of his buddies are stuck on the island.

Taylor says she had her husband booked for a homebound flight on Monday, but “Spirit Airlines then decided to cancel all flights out of one airport” in the Dominican Republic. The island has multiple airports.

According to Taylor, Spirit Airlines said they could place her husband on the next available flight from that airport — a week from Tuesday, or pay an additional cost of $400 to fly him out of an airport three hours away from where her husband is staying.

“Spirit Airlines was less than accommodating,” said Taylor.

She says it has been frustrating getting her husband and his friends booked for their flights, especially since the line of communication is disturbed by weak cellphone and internet service on the island.

“But I will say that American Airlines … were very accommodating, very willing to book him into a different airport, to change destinations, just so they could help me get him home,” said Taylor.

Now Taylor’s husband has a Miami-bound flight booked for Tuesday through American Airlines.

She said that American Airlines seems to be working with people during this crisis. Taylor said that she feels as if American Airlines is understanding of the situation, and even among flight cancellations on their end, they are not charging fees to change flights.

“He’s stuck in a hurricane, and I just want to get him home,” said Taylor.

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