CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- The home renting business is taking a major blow after Air Berlin declared bankruptcy in August. The airline had the only direct flight from Germany to Fort Myers and with a large population of Germans in Cape Coral, realtors are seeing the aftereffects.
“We are worried we won’t have as many travelers and vacationers coming in this area now that Air Berlin isn’t offering the direct flights anymore,” said Christina Kalkmann, SWFL Real Estate Owner.
However, getting here isn't the biggest problem customers are facing. It's being stuck here, that's the real issue.
Honey Isham, a realtor for Berkshire Hathaway, says many Germans were able to get to Southwest Florida with ease but now can't get back home. She says they fear that the U.S Customs will come knocking after the usual 6-month period is up.
“They have to go," Isham said. “It will be on their records as far as they didn't return on time.”
According to Isham, there are about 282 real estate Cape Coral. About 20 percent of them, exclusively service the German-American market.
Isham says that Eurowings will be offering direct flights from Germany to Fort Myers some time in the Spring. But she adds that it might be too late for many families.
“I don’t want anything to jeopardize..them.. the German people to keep coming. This is their preferred place of vacation. Cape Coral is top of the list.”
