Airlines to compensate passengers after power outage at AILA

Santo Domingo.- Passengers affected by flight delays and cancellations at Las Américas International Airport (AILA) on Sunday, September 21, will be eligible for compensation, following an order from the Airport Commission requiring Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom) to cover the related costs, according to El Diario Libre. The decision follows a preliminary report that attributed the power outage to the collapse of a medium-voltage switchgear at the north terminal and the failure of the backup circuit.

The outage left much of the airport without electricity for several hours, affecting over 40 international flights and stranding thousands of travelers. Airlines are responsible for handling passenger claims, while Aerodom must assume financial responsibility for damages. Additionally, the Airport Commission imposed a US$5 million fine on Aerodom in favor of the Dominican State and mandated structural improvements to the airport’s electrical system within three months, submission of failure reports within 48 hours, and enhanced crisis management protocols.

Authorities clarified that runway and control tower operations were never affected thanks to an alternate power system, allowing landings and takeoffs to continue safely.