This is the latest update from Tourismo Chile regarding the nation’s major airports:
Following the magnitude 8.8 quake that hit central Chile in the early morning hours of Saturday February 27, 2010, Santiago International Airport suffered structural damage to the passenger terminal. No damage was reported to the runways and taxiways. All incoming and departing flight operations were suspended until authorities evaluated the situation in order to guarantee maximum safety for passengers. Turismo Chile would like to communicate the latest update regarding operations at Santiago International Airport provided by the airport authority, SCL Aeropuerto de Santiago, on March 2, 2010 following a meeting with Chile’s National Civil Aviation Authority and airlines operating at the airport.
Flight operations will resume in two phases:
Phase 1 – March 2 to 5, 2010 – Domestic flights will gradually resume operations with a limited schedule between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and international flights also with a limited schedule will be operating between 8.pm and 8 a.m. A temporary makeshift terminal has been set up in tents in order to process departing passengers. All arriving international flights during this period will stopover in another Chilean city prior to landing in Santiago in order for passengers to clear Chilean customs and immigration formalities.
Phase 2 – March 5th onward – Domestic and international flights will be operating 24 hours. All domestic flight arrivals and departures will be operating out of a makeshift terminal set up in tents located to the east of the airport’s old terminal. International flight departures will move to the domestic flights sector of the current terminal. International arriving passengers will clear Chilean customs and immigration formalities in a makeshift facility set up in tents to the west of the current terminal.
All passengers should contact their airline for updated information on flight schedules and changes.
We received the following update from the Chilean Government regarding the current situation in the country following this weekend’s earthquake:
hile suffered an 8.8 quake in the early morning hours of Saturday February 27, 2010. The cities closest to the epicenter, including Concepcion, Talcahuano and Temuco as well as a number of small towns along Chile’s central coast were most affected by the quake.
The five different tourism regions promoted by Turismo Chile are reporting the following updates:
Desert – The north of Chile was not affected by the quake and has not reported any damage.
Easter Island – Easter Island, which lies 2,300 miles off the cost of mainland Chile, a 5.5 hour flight from Santiago, was not affected by the quake. Initial tsunami warnings have been lifted and all operations are normal.
Santiago and Central Region – Santiago’s airport suffered structural damage to the passenger terminal, however no damage was reported to the runways and the airport is expected to reopen later this week. Electricity and phone lines have been restored in Santiago and the city’s public transportation including its metro is fully operational. Valparaiso and Viña del Mar have also reported damage. The annual Viña del Mar International Music festival which was underway has been suspended.
Lakes and Volcanoes – The northern part of the Lakes and Volcanoes region, around the city of Concepcion and the Bio Bio River, was most affected by the quake. Authorities are still working on assessing the full damage. Basic essential services including water, electricity and telecommunications are gradually being restored. The southern part of the Lakes and Volcanoes region was not affected by the quake. Operations in popular tourist towns including Pucon, Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt are normal.
Patagonia – The far south of the country was not affected by the quake and has not reported any damage.
Chile is a country with a history of seismic activity. The country’s preparedness, including its strict anti-seismic building codes, the rapid emergency response from the government as well as the help from a number of organizations can be credited for managing the situation and help minimize the damage. The country’s tourism infrastructure has, overall, fared well, reporting little damage.
Hello to all of our loyal fans.
It seems like just a couple of days ago, Michael and I were chatting on the podcast about the efforts in Haiti and talking about everyone doing there part. Well, while I thought my part would be to write a check in support — Michael found out that his part involved him being deployed as part of the effort, though for now he will be assisting with the coordination efforts stateside.
We here at the Mail Buoy are super proud of Michael’s job and what he will be doing, but since he is the technical support recording master of the podcast, I need to let you all know that the podcast is going to be on hold until his return.
I will do my best to keep things updated here and on the Facebook page and keep you updated on Michael’s doings as I can. Please send him good thoughts as he heads out.
Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to returning to podcasting regularly as soon as we can.
By now you’ve probably heard of the incredible devastation caused by the massive earthquake that struck Haiti. At this time there is no word on the status of Royal Caribbean’s private area of Labadee. The next call for the line is Friday’s scheduled visit of Independence of The Seas. That port call is currently pending clearance from the Government of Haiti.
We’re also seeking information on the status of Agent Edelette Methelus, of the Haitian Coast Guard. She may have been in either Gonaive or Port Au Prince.
UPDATE:
“All is fine in Labadee. No one is hurt and we believe there are no issues with our new pier,’ RCCL’s Craig Milan, svp land operations, told Seatrade Insider. He added that Cap Haitien is, by all accounts, in relatively good shape, too.
Engineers will assess the pier today, ‘but we do not think there are any issues,’ Milan said.
Rising oil prices have triggered a provision in Disney Cruise Line’s fuel surcharge policy that will result in some passengers on upcoming voyages being subject to the fee.
Disney says passengers on voyages departing between now and March 31 who booked between May 28 and Dec. 1, 2008 — a period when the line was collecting a fuel surcharge fee in advance at the time of booking — will no longer get refunds of the money in the form of on-board credit due to oil’s rise above $70 a barrel.
Disney first implemented an $8 per person, per day fuel surcharge in 2008 as oil prices soared to nearly $150 a barrel. Falling oil prices prompted the line to eliminate the charge on Dec. 1, 2008 for all new bookings, and the line said at the time that customers who already had paid the fee for an upcoming voyage would get a refund in the form of an on-board credit when they sailed. The promise of a refund, however, came with a caveat that the refunds would end if oil prices went back above $70 a barrel, something that has occurred in recent months.
The line has not brought back a fuel surcharge for new bookings, and nobody who booked after Dec. 1, 2008 is subject to the fee.
Still, Disney’s decision to stop refunding pre-paid fuel surcharges is in sharp contrast to its major competitors. Rival Royal Caribbean and Celebrity also said they would end refunds of pre-paid fuel surcharges if oil rose above $65 a barrel but has not followed through with the plan.
Industry giant Carnival, which initially said it would stop refunding pre-paid fuel surcharges if oil went above $70, also backed off its plan as did sister lines such as Princess Cruises, Holland America and Cunard. The brands all suspended fuel surcharges on Dec. 17, 20
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