Several flights between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Puerto Vallarta remained canceled Monday as the Mexican resort region grappled with civil unrest linked to cartel retaliation following the reported death of its leader known as “El Mencho.”
More than 70 people have reportedly died in the violence. No tourists have been reported among the dead. Most flights from Puerto Vallarta to Seattle remained canceled Monday, while several Seattle-area tourists stayed in the resort city amid the uncertainty.
Jolene Jang, who traveled to Puerto Vallarta for a weeklong vacation, said she and other tourists were confined to their resort as a precaution. “So many of us were just watching the coastline blow up, blow up, blow up, poof, poof, poof,” Jang said. “We’re really close to the grocery store, the one that had all the vehicles torched and blown up, and then right across from that, there were also another handful of vehicles that were blown up as well.”
Jang shared photos showing burned-out vehicles across the street from her hotel. John Thompson, another visitor, described seeing multiple fires set around the city. “The police don’t come out and get into a confrontation with them, because then there could be collateral damage with people being shot, and they just leave them alone,” Thompson said. “They just let them do what they want to do, and the fires just burn out on their own.”
While much of the area was locked down Sunday as violence unfolded, Jang said vehicle and foot traffic began picking up Monday. She hopes to leave as scheduled later this week. Officials at Puerto Vallarta International Airport said the airport remains open, though some airlines have canceled or rescheduled flights. “I don’t think we feel like we’re the targets, and we’re sheltered with all this resort area, but it’s interesting. I feel bad for the people who live here,” Jang said.
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are allowing affected passengers to rebook travel without change fees. Airbnb said its Major Disruptive Events policy is in effect, allowing hosts and guests in the affected area to cancel reservations without penalties. The company is assisting travelers with refunds, cancellations, or extensions as needed.
