The country has established sixty-two new international routes in the last two years, which translates into more excellent connectivity offers for air transport users; this was reported by José Ernesto Marte Piantini, president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), during the second ordinary session of this month.
According to the JAC’s statistical report, 452 airlines have operated in the country in the modality of charter flights since January 1, 2021, to date, while during 2019, the year before the pandemic, only 216 airlines operated under this modality.
He maintained that since the beginning of the government headed by President Luis Abinader, the sustained growth of air transport had been a reality throughout the Dominican territory.
“The successful result of the Dominican Republic’s air transport policy has allowed the improvement of the management and quality of services, achieving a 92% increase in charter flights,” recalled the president of the JAC.
José Ernesto Marte Piantini
Marte Piantini explained that before the pandemic, 56 airlines operated scheduled flights in the country, and today, thanks to the facilities provided by the Dominican State, there are 62 operators of scheduled flights to and from the national territory.
“The formula is quite simple, the greater the air connectivity, the greater the number of international passengers, and the greater the commercial exchange between countries,” he recalled.
In this sense, the president of the organization highlighted the new connections to and from Piarco (Trinidad and Tobago), Katowice (Poland), Istanbul (Turkey), Lisbon and Porto (Portugal), Cagliari-Elmas (Italy), Pointe a Pitre (Guadeloupe), Fort de France (Martinique), Saint Croix and Saint John (Virgin Islands), Nassau (Bahamas), Cayenne (Guyana), Kazan (Russia), among other destinations.
Increased connections
To continue to promote the air transportation of passengers, cargo, and mail, the members of the plenary, heard the request for a Special Permit from the foreign air operator CONDOR FLUGDIENST to operate the Düsseldorf/La Romana/Düsseldorf route from November 4, 2022, to April 7, 2023.
It also heard the application for a Special Permit to fly the Rome/La Romana/Rome and Verona/La Romana/Montego Bay/Verona routes from airline NEOS, and Canadian operator SWOOP to operate the Hamilton/Punta Cana/Hamilton route.
NEOS is an Italian-based operator and will operate 21 flights on the Rome/La Romana route and 14 on the Verona/La Romana/Montego Bay route for a total of 35 roundtrip flights from November 4, 2022, to March 25, 2023, while SWOOP will start operations from January 11 to April 26, 2023, with a frequency of one flight per week, on Wednesdays.
Marte Piantini also informed that foreign air operator FRONTIER requested the amendment to its Operating Permit (OP) to operate the Tampa/Santo Domingo/Tampa and Tampa /Punta Cana /Tampa routes.
The start of these operations is projected for November 5, 2022, which will be carried out in Airbus A320 neo (32N) aircraft with 186 seats.
Finally, the members of the plenary heard the request to amend the Certificate of Economic Authorization (CAE) of the national air operator AIR CENTURY to include the following routes: Santo Domingo/Guatemala/Santo Domingo; Santo Domingo/Tampa, the United States/Santo Domingo; Santo Domingo/Costa Rica/Santo Domingo; Santo Domingo/Havana, Cuba/Santo Domingo; Santo Domingo/Santiago, Cuba/Santo Domingo; Santo Domingo/Miami/Santo Domingo and Punta Cana/Miami/Punta Cana.
The start of these operations is projected for November 2022, which will be carried out in A321 aircraft with a capacity of 220 seats.