Tickets issued before that date, December 1st, will remain valid at their original price until November 30th, 2023.
SANTO DOMINGO.– Starting December 1, 2023, Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom) will apply a specialized fee of US$18.42 for infrastructure use and another of US$3.11 for equipment handling charges to all airline tickets issued for arrival and departure of passengers transported by all airlines.
The company explained that the authorization of a tariff adjustment responds to inflation that had not been applied for more than five years, with the aim of recovering its real value, and that this measure is also part of the concession renegotiation agreement recently made with the current Government.
This is stated in a letter signed by Sebastián Staudt of Aerodom, with copies to top executives Mónika Infante and Fabián Gourdon. It also states that, starting January 15th, Aerodom will bill passengers at the adjusted fare.
The measure was approved by the Airport Commission, which is chaired by the Minister of Public Works and Communications, Deligne Asencion; Víctor Pichardo, executive director of the Dominican Airport Department, and by Julio Heinsen, president of the Association of Airlines.
The letter informing airlines that the Airport Commission authorized a 13% inflation adjustment to specialized rates, effective December 1, is intended to allow this rate to partially recover its real value, explained José Luis López, communications director of Aerodom Siglo XXI, to Listín Diario.
“This tariff adjustment was made within the framework of the current concession contract between Aerodom and the Dominican State, recognizing the rights to update the rates and tariffs contemplated in the agreement due to inflation,” López stated.
According to Aerodom, the last adjustment was made five years ago, so they understand that this one is necessary, because the fare had not been adjusted since 2018, even though the accumulated inflation by the United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) between 2018 and 2022 was around 26%.
According to López, despite the loss of real income value due to inflation, Aerodom has made significant investments, including the renovation of the central atrium of the passenger terminal at Las Américas International Airport, José Francisco Peña Gómez; including the new and expanded centralized security and immigration area equipped with modern systems that expedite departure processes.
Likewise, the Cargo City SDQ, a project that involved an investment of over $15 million, has generated a 22% increase in air cargo through this terminal, compared to the volume handled in 2019.
Similarly, a major intervention was carried out on the runway of the Gregorio Luperón International Airport in Puerto Plata, which involved a total investment of more than US$4.5 million.
López noted that significant maintenance has also been carried out on the terminal structure of the Professor Juan Bosch International Airport in El Catey, Samaná; as well as improvements to the runway and its drainage systems.
Other investments involve the renovation of the runway, executive aviation terminal and the inclusion of new boarding gates at the Dr. Joaquín Balaguer International Airport, in El Higüero, Santo Domingo Norte.
In addition to works related to the increase in operational capacity of the Las Américas International Airport, Jose Francisco Pena Gomez, which included a 44% increase in platform capacity, a 50% increase in boarding gates (from 10 to 15), increased transit passenger processing, passenger improvements (additional elevators, public address system, passport control stations, among others).
Compensation
López explained that investments of US$60 million are planned for the immediate future, which is why it is essential for the company to have a level of income that compensates for the devaluation over time resulting from inflation that rates and tariffs have suffered.
Considering that the accumulated inflation by CPI since the last adjustment (five years ago) is about 26%, the Airport Commission determined a partial adjustment of only 13% (which is equivalent to 50% of the accumulated inflation since the last adjustment) seeking to act prudently so as not to make an abrupt increase that could affect the successful recovery of air traffic and tourism.
With information from Listín Diario.
Cover photo: todorepublicadominicana.com
