BROOKS, ALTA. -- A couple from Brooks has finally made it home, after experiencing travel troubles trying to get back from the Dominican Republic.
"It was a nightmare, because you couldn't get anyone to answer on the phone lines," said Terri Kimmel.
Terri and her husband Darryl were vacationing in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, for the past few months. They arrived home Thursday night after a week of frustration since many flights were cancelled.
"It was absolutely insane, it was like dealing with beings on another planet," Kimmel said.
The couple arrived at the Puerto Plata Airport 7 a.m. Wednesday to try and get on the Air Transit rescue plane. They were prevented from boarding because of their two dogs – a complaint they brought to the attention of Air Transit.
"She was distraught about sending the plane off with several empty seats. On several of the planes, because the representatives at the Porta Plata Airport, we're making it an obstacle course."
Shortly afterwards, they quickly hitched a ride with a friend to Santiago Airport, where their daughter booked them two seats on a Delta flight bound for New York.
The couple arrived at the airport at 1 p.m., and departed for New York at 1:45 p.m. where they stayed the night. They arrived at JFK Airport four hours later, and that's where they stayed the night.
"We sat and slept on the hardest benches they had there," she added.
Their flight for Toronto departed at 7:55 a.m. Thursday and their daughter again managed to find them last minute seats this time on a flight from Toronto to Calgary. The couple finally arrived home around 8 p.m. Thursday night.
"You know when they cancel on you, at least have something to offer your customers," said Kimmel.
The couple estimates they spent over $3,000 on flights to get home. The whole ordeal has them questioning any future travel plans.
"Yes, it really is how inadequate are big companies are when it comes to a crisis and it was their lack of communication within the infrastructure."
The couple says they were also not screened or had their temperatures taken at any point on the way home, to detect for COVID-19.
Now back in Alberta, Kimmel says she and her partner are self-isolating as per the rules from Alberta Health.
