Cultural background American Airlines Flight 587

in 2001, there 51 weekly direct flights between jfk , dominican republic, additional flights offered in december. of flights offered american airlines, , airline described having virtual monopoly on route. around 90% of passengers on accident flight of dominican descent.

the guardian described flight having cult status in washington heights, dominican area of manhattan. belkis lora, relative of passenger on crashed flight, said every dominican in new york has either taken flight or knows has. gets there early. @ home there songs it. seth kugel, writing new york times, said, many dominicans in new york, these journeys home defining metaphor of complex push-pull relationship homeland; embody, vividly , poignantly, tug between current lives , former selves. fact gave monday s tragedy particularly horrible resonance new york s dominicans. said, before monday s crash, dominicans had developed complex love-hate relationship american airlines, complaining high prices , baggage restrictions while favoring carrier on other airlines used travel same route. david rivas, owner of new york city travel agency rivas travel, said, dominican go santo domingo during christmas , summer muslims going mecca.

the crash did not affect bookings jfk-santo domingo route. dominicans continued book travel on flights. american airlines announced end services between jfk , santo domingo on april 1, 2013.