The Price of Escape
EmailAmerican citizens and tourists alike are rushing to flee Lebanon — even if it means paying high prices. American citizens in Beirut relying on the U.S. Department of State to provide evacuation from the conflict-ridden city are faced with high and rising costs. A July 15 Department of State message tells U.S. citizens it will not "provide no-cost transportation." Unable to present U.S. citizens with even up-front estimates for transportation costs, the Department of State has made it known that they require evacuated citizens to sign a promissory note and will bill individuals in the near future for their emergency evacuation. The government is evacuating citizens via helicopter and ferry to Cyprus where they can board commercial airlines home. Faerlie Wilson, an American student studying in Beirut tells ABC News, "The Department of State makes you sign a form, and then they tell you the costs after." Wilson was also familiar with another alternative for escape, taxis. Desperate to flee at any price, citizens and tourists alike have turned to private taxi services. Taking advantage of the current crisis, taxi services have started gouging prices, charging upwards of $200, on the four-to-six hour rides to the Syrian border. George Assoure, a dispatcher for Comet Taxi Company, explains that taxi companies equipped with a bigger staff are "taking advantage of travelers" by overcharging for what used to be a $25 to $30 ride, that used to take two hours in safer times. However, representatives from these taxi services deny any profiteering. Justifying the $200 to $250 ride, representatives from Geriès and Charlie Taxi pointed out that drivers are not only paying higher prices for gas, but also risking their lives. Despite the danger to America citizens, it seems there is no cheap way out of Beirut.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
while that may seem bogus, wern`t they warned not to travel there by the state dept.? and $200.00 for a ride to the border doesn`t seem that bad under those circumstances.
Posted by: a.morrison | July 17, 2006, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
I would pay any amount of money to get myself out of there. If they knew the risks and went anyways the tourists should have planned ahead for emergency money. Since when did people become so jaded to complain about the amount it costs to potentially save your life??? They should just focus in getting safe and then worry about the money later.
Posted by: Missy | July 18, 2006, 12:13 am 12:13 am
Am I missing something here. I’ve yet to see a prize on “The Wheel of Fortune”, for a vacation in Beirut. Violence through out the middle East and people want to vacation there?? And as A. Morrison said 200.00 for a ride out is not a bad a price.
Posted by: botcha-galoop | July 18, 2006, 8:38 am 8:38 am
The previous commentators are missing the point. The vast majority of American “tourists” are in Lebanon visiting family and friends and may have been there before Hezbollah’s sudden aggression. They didn’t bargain on being trapped in a war zone.
Posted by: richard Stein | July 18, 2006, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
The correct answer is … There should have been no necessity for evacuation.
The Administration incorrectly (and immorally) choose to allow Israel to continue attacking Lebanon, the country, (vs limited attcks against verified Hezbollah targets in the south), knowing that innocent civilians would be indiscrimently murdered in the process, (as well as inflicting unnecessary moronic infrastructure damage).
That people from many nations now require evacuation from Lebanon and are being charged adds Insult.
Posted by: Mango | July 19, 2006, 5:15 am 5:15 am
Prior to this July, there was NOT a travel warning for Lebanon; US citizens were advised to register whith US embassy when traveling there. A state department warning means that US citizens travel to a place ‘at their own risk.’ But according to gov’t websites no such warning existed. Although Americans were cautioned to be careful due to the possibility of kidnapping, etc. — the current situation was not anticipated. It is OUR obligation as Americans, to help our fellow Americans caught in this cross-fire. We do this through our goverment and tax dollars. US citizens, caught in a war zone — or in the middle of a huge natural disaster — situations where individuals and localities cannot meet the challenges — should be evacuated by their federal government. By OUR federal government. By their fellow Americans. We also need to stop abdicating responsibility in staying informed about what our government is doing at home and in the world.
For those who feel that $200 is not a bad price and who would not hesitate to pay it. Count yourself lucky that you a) have the $200 – I guess folks without plenty of disposable cash shouldn’t travel, b) that under these circumstances, you would have it in cash, and that c) after paying $200 for a cab full of family members, and spending money on food, you would still have money left for yourself.
We assume that others’ circumstances are like our own: we travel for vacations, have easy access to cash and credit, we have no need to take risks with our personal safety….
Sorry for the rant. Just some things to think about.
Posted by: zoe | July 20, 2006, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm