Right now, the only international airport in Haiti is compounding the crisis. Here is a picture of the airport terminal ramp at Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport. It is a very small ramp. Now get this: the runway does not have a taxi apron! This means that every plane (arriving and departing) has to go (one at a time) along the connecting ramp in the left of the photo - out onto the main runway, and taxi all the way to the end before turning around for takeoff. That is a disaster compounding a disaster. Aircraft are being turned away from Haiti. Crucial supplies and highly trained medical and search & rescue professionals can't get into the country. It is a horrible situation.
Photo: Beli Tours
Here is the main airport terminal at the Aeropuerto Internacional de las Américas in the Dominican Republic - it has large terminal ramps (with several access points) and a full taxiway so the airplanes can line up to take off at one end, and line up after they land at the other. The Dominican Republic also has another airport, called Punta Cana, which is actually larger than this. These airports are on the same little island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic is a tourist haven. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The two countries, unfortunately, have very little to do with each other. One speaks Creole French, the other Spanish.
Map: Hispaniola.com
So the Dominican Republic could really ride to the rescue here, and make both of their airports available for relief flights. UPS, which is taking a leading logistical role, is working on use of the Dominican Republic airports (see the article in the Financial Times linked below). But here's the problem. Get on Google Earth and look at the roads between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They are dirt. I told you they didn't have much going on together. Now get ready, here is the roadway at the main border crossing between the two countries:
The road is in horrible condition. It is going to chew trucks up. It has to be done, of course. But it is not going to be easy, and the trucks will need to roll 24/7. This is going to be a bigger problem than anyone realizes. Please read more in the Financial Times article today:
FT.com / UK - Agencies struggle to secure transport link
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