SANTO DOMINGO - José Ernesto Marte Piantini, president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), assures that the successful outcome of the Dominican Republic's air transport policy has allowed for improved management and quality of services, achieving a 92% increase in charter flights.
He explained that under the charter flight modality, from January 1st of last year to date, 452 airlines have operated in the country, while during 2019, the year prior to the pandemic, only 216 airlines operated under this structure.
The official stated that before the pandemic, 56 airlines operated regular flights in the country, and today, thanks to the facilities provided by the Dominican State, there are 62 operators of regular flights to and from the national territory.
"The formula is quite simple: greater air connectivity will lead to a greater number of international passengers and greater trade between countries," he noted.
According to the JAC statistical report, the country has established sixty-two new international routes in the last two years, which translates into a greater supply of connectivity for air transport users.
Marte Piantini believes that since the beginning of the government headed by President Luis Abinader, the sustained growth of air transport is a reality throughout the Dominican territory.
In that regard, 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 (French Guiana), Kazan (Russia), among other destinations.
Increased connections
With the aim of continuing to promote air transport of passengers, cargo and mail, the members of the plenary were informed of 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.
He also learned of the request for a Special Permit to fly on the Rome/La Romana/Rome and Verona/La Romana/Montego Bay/Verona routes from the airline NEOS and the 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 round-trip flights from November 4, 2022 to March 25, 2023, while SWOOP will begin operations from January 11 to April 26, 2023, with a frequency of one flight per week, on Wednesdays.
Marte Piantini also reported that the foreign air operator FRONTIER requested an 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, and will be carried out in Airbus A320 neo (32N) aircraft with a capacity for 186 seats.
Finally, the members of the plenary were informed of the request for the amendment to the Economic Authorization Certificate (CAE) of the national air operator AIR CENTURY to include the routes Santo Domingo/Guatemala/Santo Domingo; Santo Domingo/Tampa, 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, and they will be carried out using A321 aircraft, with a capacity of 220 seats.
