JetBlue and Avianca expand operations in the Dominican Republic
JetBlue and Avianca expand their flight operations to the Dominican Republic with two new cargo and passenger routes between the United States and South America, including two air terminals located in tourist poles of the country.
The permits for both airlines were approved at the ordinary meeting of the plenary session of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC).
The entity approved the request for Amendment of the Operation Permit No. 47 of the airline JetBlue Airways Corporation, for the inclusion of the Newark-Puerto Plata-Newark route, with a frequency of five flights a week.
With the start of operations of JetBlue Airways on the Newark / Puerto Plata route, an Air Bus-320 aircraft with capacity for 162 passengers will be operated, five flights are added in addition to the three weekly flights carried out by United Airlines, totaling between both airlines eight weekly flights United States and Puerto Plata, also known as “The Bride of the Atlantic”.
As of July 1st, 2021, and for a period of six months, Aerovías del Continente Americano SA (Avianca) is authorized to fly with passenger, cargo and mail services on the Medellín-Punta Cana-Medellín route.
According to the president of the JAC, José Marte Piantini, the approval of the routes represents the expansion of services and options available to users of air transport in the country, both in the passenger and cargo mode.
Marte Piantini said that after the sanitary measures adopted by the government of President Luis Abinader, the Dominican Republic maintains the confidence of air operators as a tourist destination in the Caribbean.
“The reactivation of the sector is due to a collective effort between the State and the private sector to strengthen our tourism. These two new air operations are a reflection of the vision of relaunching commercial air relations as the main axis of tourism”, said Marte Piantini.
The Civil Aviation Board is the highest body in matters of civil aviation and meets every 15 days to dictate measures and legislation on air traffic, as established by Law 491-06 of Civil Aviation of the Dominican Republic.
The Board is also made up of the Minister of Foreign Relations, Roberto Álvarez; the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, the Legal Consultant of the Executive Power, Antoliano Peralta; the general director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), Román Ernesto Caamaño Vélez.
The executive director of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo; the general commander of the Air Force (FARD), Juan Bautista Rojas Tabar; the general director of the Specialized Corps in Airport Security and Civil Aviation (Cesac), Carlos R. Febrillet Rodríguez; Nasim Antonio Yapor Alba and Andrés R. Marranzini Grullón, as representatives of the private sector and Paola Plá Puello, current secretary of the JAC.