Notes on Port-au-Prince (PAP)

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gizzard

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Feb 2, 2006
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I thought I'd write a few notes on my recent experience in going from MIA-PAP as it might help someone else.
I was making the trip as part of an SC run and had planned to get the flight over and the same plane back. I knew that would
be tight as there's only an hour or so turnaround.

To make things easier for myself I decided to get my BP for the return trip before leaving Miami. This wasn't so easy.
To summarise what happened:

- The check-in person told me that she wasn't able to print it.
- I tried to print it online but got the message that I'd already checked-in. I hadn't, or at least, I didn't think that I had.
- An AC angel sorted it out for me and printed it off

Just as well. If you are going to try such a trip yourself makes sure you have the BP.

At PAP I had the following experience:
- I didn't want to go through immigration, just to get on and off again but the first person that I saw as I came off the plane pointed
me towards immigration. After my explanation he pointed me the other way but the next person I saw also said I had to go that way.
- I was passed on to someone else who turned out to be AA's head of security at the airport. She then me back towards immigration but was staying with me.
- She disappeared on to the flight with my BP and passport and then reappeared with only 30 mins to go before scheduled take-off of my flight.
- We then had to get on a shuttle bus to immigration where I lined up, third in line. Fortunately the process was fast and I got to the desk and had my
passport stamped. I'd filled in an immigration form but not the customs form. I was now officially in Haiti but never made it past the immigration desk.
- We turned around and waited for another bus which, once emptied of it's passengers took the two of us back to where the flight was.
- I was then rushed through 2 sets of xray machines and security through a back door and made it to join the boarding passengers.


I now had the concern of trying to explain to US immigration why I'd been to Haiti for 5 seconds the day after arriving in the US. In fact, it proved to be a breeze.

I was only asked 3 questions:
- Why are you visiting the US.
- How long were you in Haiti. A:Less than 24 hours(!)
- Why were you there. A:To save $500 on a flight.

He was happy with those answers and after the fingerprint and photo business I was back in and customs didn't glance at me despite the fact I had no bags.


It was all a bit tight and I don't think that I'd have made it without the help of the AA security lady. Apart from that the trip was also interesting having an
aerial view of the clear destruction and rebuilding since the terrible earthquake there. The flight crew were shocked at my turning up again and asked me to fess up!

If I did the trip again then, although it's possible, I wouldn't try and get the same plane in both directions.
 
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I went through PAP in December 2011 on a straight turnaround. Hillarious.

The immigration hall was haphazard. I made no attempt to avoid the immigration officers but was about three steps from being outside 'in Haiti' without having had my passport seen to when an immigration officer stopped me. She looked at my passport, flicked a couple of pages then gave it back to me. No stamp. Nothing. Going back through immigration at PAP, the immigration officer refused to stamp my passport as departing Haiti - because there was no stamp showing I'd actually arrived! Therefore, despite visiting Haiti, I have no passport stamp to prove it.
 
If I did the trip again then, although it's possible, I wouldn't try and get the same plane in both directions.

If it's a turnaround flight then you know you'll get the same crew so it would be good idea to tell them on the way over you're doing a same day return & the reason so they'll expect to see you on the way back.
 
When doing same plane turnarounds (admittedly at KHI where I was unable to get boarding passes) I have had both the departing station (HKG) and flight crew message the KHI station to ensure someone met me at transfer.
KHI is a one level airport and the rep comes out to the transit desk takes your passport back to checkin desk, then comes back. Final security check just before turnaround.

Am surprised PAP has absolutely no transit procedures at the airport.
 
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