New York senators ask for more flights to the Dominican Republic

A delegation of New York State senators and assemblymen expressed the need to expand the supply of commercial flights from the Dominican Republic to New York State in order to provide more and better services to residents of the Caribbean country and the State of New York.

During a visit to the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, on August 30, 2022, the legislators highlighted the importance of permanent and affordable air routes “to maintain the ties that unite families and the importance in terms of economic exchange.”

They also noted that with world-class airports in the Dominican Republic, such as Punta Cana Airport and José Francisco Peña Gómez Las Americas International Airport, as well as the world-class airports in New York State, John F. Kennedy, and LaGuardia, “it is urgent that more airlines explore the establishment of new routes between the two locations.”

During the visit, President Abinader expressed his desire to work with the U.S. and Dominican senators to have airlines expand their operations or new airlines arrive to provide service to further strengthen cultural, economic, and family ties.

“As New York State elected officials, we agree with the importance of this for our State and for the Dominican Republic. It is in our interest and that of the President of the Dominican Republic, as he has expressed to us, to expand the services and ties that unite us as brotherly peoples,” the delegation said in a statement.

The visitors also urged the U.S. business community, especially the airlines, to take the necessary steps to expand and improve their operations between New York State and the Dominican Republic.

They stated that all economic models indicate the Dominican economy’s strength, being a region leader, and New York State is recognized as the global cultural, financial, and economic center.

“Based on our long history of common relations and the benefit this will bring to the large Dominican diaspora residing in our state, we salute the position of the President of the Dominican Republic and welcome the efforts of the business community in this direction.”

The visit originated through the New York State Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and the President of the Senate of the Dominican Republic, Eduardo Estrella.

Luis R. Sepúlveda, Leroy Comrie, Kevin Parker, Gustavo Rivera, James Skoufis, Jamaal Bailey, Shelley Mayer and Assemblymen Al Taylor and Phil Ramos participated.

Senator Alexis Victoria Yeb of the María Trinidad Sánchez province also participated.