Official red tape keeps 5 Dominican airlines grounded

Santo Domingo.- Five Dominican-registry airlines still waiting for the Government to conclude the technical procedures to allow them to start operations.

Gold Dominicana, Andes Dominicana, Wing Dominicana, Pawa Dominicana and a cargo carrier whose owners have everything ready to fly out of Las Americas International Airport, have stated discontent and warned that they could pull their investment out of the country.

Pawa executive Alexander Barrio said 14 Dominican pilots completed the training to join their cabin crews.

He said the date to start flights was proposed for last November but had to be postpone due to a series of new regulations and resolutions he affirms have emerged from Civil Aeronautics.

In that regard, Centro Aeronautico president Alfredo Hernández Paz said several investors have warned that they could shut down their projects, and in his view would be regretful it the authorities let them leave the country.

He said they expect the authorities to finalize the paperwork so they can start flights.