The Associated Press reported late Monday, June 29th, that the State Department is warning U.S. citizens to avoid all nonessential travel to Honduras due to the "current unstable political and security situation" there.
Due to the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya by the Honduran military on Sunday, June 28th, the State Department recommends American citizens residing in and visiting Honduras remain close to their homes or hotels "unless their travel is of a life or death nature," or for a scheduled departure from Honduras. It urges U.S. citizens to restrict travel within the country to necessary trips.
The destination of a high percentage of tourists traveling to Honduras is the Bay Islands, a popular location for scuba diving, which is far away from the demonstrations taking place regularly at the presidential palace in central Tegucigalpa. Tourists traveling to Roatan, Bay Islands,either fly into San Pedro Sula (SAP), then take a connecting flight to Roatan (RTB), or fly direct to Roatan (RTB) from one of several U.S. cities, including Miami (MIA), Houston (IAH), and New Orleans (MSY).
American Airlines is offering customers the convenience to change their plans. Customers ticketed to travel to, from or through the areas listed (San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) and Tegucigalpa, Honduras (TGU) may change flights without penalty. Here is the link for more information: AA Travel Alert
Continental Airlines is also providing the option to re-schedule or re-route your travel once, without penalty, if you are ticketed to/from the same cities listed above. Here is Continential’s link for more information: Continental Travel Notices
If you are scheduled to fly to San Pedro Sula (SAP) or Tegucigalpa (TGU) on another airline, such as TACA, please check directly with the airline to change your flight arrangements. Currently, no travel alert appears on TACA's website.