Nashvillian among Americans stranded in Guatemala amid COVID-19 restrictions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — More than a dozen American citizens, at least one of whom is from Nashville, are stranded in Guatemala after their flights home have been canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
There is even a Facebook group called American Citizens Stranded in Guatemala 3/17/2020, which now has more than 100 members.
“A lot of folks there would like to go home; everything is uncertain at the moment,” says Jim Burnett Jr., whose ex-wife and mother of his three kids is one of the people stranded.
Burnett says 61-year-old Stephanie Marlin went to Guatemala last week for a quick getaway and to visit a friend of their daughter’s in Guatemala City, whose flight home has now been canceled. He said he has tried his best to book another flight home for her but says he has been unsuccessful with every airline.
“I would put my credit card information in and they all come back saying, ‘we’re sorry, we can’t complete your request at this time,” Burnett said.
He also drove to the Nashville International Airport to speak with an airline representative, who he says told him that all those flights are cancelled and they are not being rebooked.
Marlin told him people in Guatemala are quarantining as well; streets are empty and many businesses are closed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“She’s stressed out, but she’s doing her best over there,” Burnett says.
He says, right now, Marlin has a flight booked for the 22nd but both of them think it will likely get canceled.
