Oh right, so American private companies should now throw away everything
in order to do gratis work for a bunch of foreigners..
Come on, they are our kids, it's our responsibility to get them out.
It's too bad the article didn't mention who contacted who to begin with.
As regards cost, I'll be willing to bet there are a whole bunch
of very desperate or criminal people hanging around the airports, just waiting
for a chance to jump on something, either to steal whats inside, hijack
it or get a free ride out. Hence... security costs.
Custom job, international flight, no refueling, questionable flight plan,
no services at airport, some bribes to get takeoff clearance,
provide your own security team into a 'at least warm if not hot area'.
100k is not completely unreasonable.
Which is why other airlines haven't simply dropped in to pick people up.
Boats would have the same problems.
having said that, yes that American company has forgotten
what happened on 9/11.
Hows about we yell at our own government, then split the bill with the
parents for being dumb enough to send their kids to Haiti in the first place..