NewsWhore
06-02-2008, 05:10 PM
Airport Department director Andres Van der Horst and Civil Aviation Institute director Jose Tomas Perez have told El Caribe that they are monitoring the airline situation and flight reductions with a view to putting forward solutions aimed at helping compensate airlines for the increases in costs. Vanderhorst, a former minister of Tourism, acknowledged the crucial importance the airline industry has in transporting passengers and cargo to the island.
News reports indicate that American Airlines has already cut flights from nine to five a day, leaving two at Cibao International, two at Las Americas and one at Punta Cana. American Airlines is the leading carrier serving the DR, making 6,646 fights to Las Americas, 2,958 to Santiago, 1,708 to Punta Cana, 788 to Puerto Plata and 412 to La Romana in 2007.
In an interview with El Caribe, Jose Tomas Perez said: "If the plan is to cut routes, we will have to authorize new frequencies for new airlines to fill in the void.
Air Dominicana, in which Air Europa, the Spanish carrier, is the main investor, and the Dominican government a minority investor, is scheduled to start operations with its first plane.
Perez, nevertheless, favors lowering taxes in order to keep fares down to a reasonable level. Local government taxes and airport charges are said to be the highest in the region.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)
News reports indicate that American Airlines has already cut flights from nine to five a day, leaving two at Cibao International, two at Las Americas and one at Punta Cana. American Airlines is the leading carrier serving the DR, making 6,646 fights to Las Americas, 2,958 to Santiago, 1,708 to Punta Cana, 788 to Puerto Plata and 412 to La Romana in 2007.
In an interview with El Caribe, Jose Tomas Perez said: "If the plan is to cut routes, we will have to authorize new frequencies for new airlines to fill in the void.
Air Dominicana, in which Air Europa, the Spanish carrier, is the main investor, and the Dominican government a minority investor, is scheduled to start operations with its first plane.
Perez, nevertheless, favors lowering taxes in order to keep fares down to a reasonable level. Local government taxes and airport charges are said to be the highest in the region.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)