SANTO DOMINGO.- Arajet, the Caribbean's low-cost airline, received its tenth Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, named "Los Haitises," which features a special design with the national flag painted along the entire fuselage as a way to highlight Dominican identity and the commitment to ensuring that all Dominicans have the opportunity to travel and to the construction of the continent's new air hub in the country.
The welcoming ceremony was led by Vice President Raquel Peña, along with Víctor Pacheco Méndez, CEO and Founder of Arajet, as well as Boeing's President for Latin America, Landom Loomis, among other officials, investor representatives and company executives.
The Vice President highlighted that Arajet is a platform that allows the Dominican Republic's tourism offerings to continue being showcased and demonstrates the Government's support for private initiatives.
"We have no limits to continue developing our country," Peña stated, after highlighting that the continuous expansion of Arajet's fleet is a sign that private and foreign investors trust in the country's potential.
Meanwhile, Pacheco Méndez expressed his gratitude for the support received from the Dominican State, which has enabled national airlines in the Dominican Republic to have a competitive legal framework and for the country to become a Latin American power in aviation.
“This tenth aircraft is special because it will increase the number of connections we make with the continent and reaffirms our commitment to all of Latin America to democratize air travel and connect all our countries with low prices, the best quality, and the warmth of Dominican service,” highlighted Pacheco, who noted that the airline currently flies to 23 destinations in 16 countries and hopes to begin flying to the United States in 2024, as soon as the Dominican Republic finalizes the signing of the open skies agreement with that nation.
Pacheco also highlighted that Arajet has already flown more than one million passengers in just a year and a half, managing to increase the number of tourists coming to the Dominican Republic, as well as the number of transit passengers using Arajet to connect their countries.
“The dream of turning the Dominican Republic into the new hub of the continent is becoming a reality thanks to the more than 400 direct collaborators we already have; a job that has been recognized internationally when in 2023 we were awarded the title of best new airline in the world at the World Aviation Summit, and that should fill all Dominicans with pride.”
“It is an honor at Arajet to name an aircraft after “Los Haitises,” a word of Taíno origin that means highland or mountainous land; it is one of the most beautiful corners of our country, a destination that the State has been promoting in this administration to bring development and hope to Dominicans in the north,” stated Pacheco, who added that “this special design of this tenth aircraft shows that we are committed to increasing the country’s connectivity and the arrival of visitors so they can experience our national tourist attractions, our beautiful people, and our land.”.
“Los Haitises” is a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with a 185-seat configuration, which landed on Dominican soil directly from the Boeing factory in Seattle, United States, and together with Pico Duarte, Valle Nuevo, Jaragua, Ojos Indígena, Los Tres Ojos, Isla Saona, Lago Enriquillo, Laguna Redonda and Bahía de las Águilas, it continues to increase the capacity and fleet that have made the Dominican Republic the Hub of the Caribbean.
The young and successful airline names its aircraft after protected areas in the Dominican Republic as part of its social responsibility policy to promote the importance of preserving and caring for the environment.
The ship displays a design with the national flag in honor of the Dominican Republic and its name is in homage to the national park.
Cover photo: Arajet, alongside Vice President Raquel Peña, presents the new aircraft. (External source).
