Club Calero to sue JetBlue after canceled flight disrupts U.S. sports trip

Santo Domingo.- A delegation of 38 members from Club Calero of Villa Duarte, including 31 young athletes and seven adults, was stranded at Las Américas International Airport (AILA) after JetBlue canceled its scheduled flight to New Jersey.

The group arrived at the airport around 3:00 a.m. to travel to the United States for a sports exchange program organized by local authorities in New Jersey. However, the flight was canceled, leaving the delegation waiting for hours without a clear explanation from the airline.

Club Calero President Andrés Liberato described the situation as “regrettable and unjustifiable,” saying the cancellation prevented the children from participating in the tournament and caused significant financial losses.

According to Liberato, the club invested approximately RD$1.95 million in airfare, uniforms, travel documents, lodging, meals, and other logistics after receiving an official invitation from a New Jersey municipality. He said months of fundraising and preparation by the athletes and their families were lost.

The club announced it will pursue legal action against JetBlue to seek compensation for the financial losses and emotional distress caused by the canceled trip.

Liberato added that Pro Consumidor and the Dominican Ombudsman’s Office have intervened to determine whether the passengers’ rights were violated and to assess the airline’s responsibility.

As of Thursday, JetBlue had not publicly explained the reason for the flight cancellation or announced when the delegation would be able to travel.