The decline of European flights to Puerto Plata airport

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
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As some of the regulars that know me, I work at POP airport as an aircraft engineer for the airlines.  I've just seen my summer 18 program and it's quite alarming and shows a significant downturn from previous years.

Condor will stop flying altogether from May until October.
Eurowings will reduce from three to two flights per week, even though there was speculation that they would fill the gap left by the demise of Air Berlin
Thomson will suspend their MAN flights later this Autumn
No sign of Thomas Cook from UK returning.
No sign of Jetairfly from Belgium returning.
No sign of Arkefly from Holland returning.
The French, Finns and Scandis only fly in the winter.
The Russian carrier Nordwind are set to continue with the 10/11 day rotation.

Those in the know are citing the exorbitant operating and fuel costs out of POP, plus the limited availability of quality accommodation at POP as the root cause.

A real shame...........
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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It’s shift... different airlines pick up volume ...hotel sells new owner shifts market from  to Europe to now North America (example)... it’s happening in cities here in DR my neighbors are more North American where 10-15 yrs ago UK & German just different demographic 
 

Abuela

Bronze
May 13, 2006
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What is also curious is how will the Aldiana (Breezes) renovation fit in with European Flights curtailing year round trips. Since 45% of the ownership is a UK company maybe another flight plan is in the works?
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
As some of the regulars that know me, I work at POP airport as an aircraft engineer for the airlines.  I've just seen my summer 18 program and it's quite alarming and shows a significant downturn from previous years.

how about flights from US and canada? are the connections getting better or worse on that end?
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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Those in the know are citing the exorbitant operating and fuel costs out of POP, plus the limited availability of quality accommodation at POP as the root cause.

A real shame...........



It’s price of doing business no different really it’s passed to consumer.. look at Toronto YYZ the most expensive fees in the world
Yet west jet flies YYZ-POP and they are thriving growing... 
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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The loss of the flights is a result of the loss of the tourists.... not the reverse

If there were enough tourists - flights would continue

Post #6 above recalls the JetBlue / AZS issue.
They changed the route to Punta Cana from AZS to get more revenue...
From both people and fares
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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I think one of the main issues is the sale of the three RIU hotels to a Spanish chain as far as the cancellation of the UK flights is concerned. TUI and Thomson have stopped booking them, and people who had booked to go there from Gatwick, London have now been moved to a Manchester departure until those flights stop too. Maybe when the new owners take over, new contracts will be agreed?

Matilda
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
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how about flights from US and canada? are the connections getting better or worse on that end?


I use jfk and newark, miami and Charlotte. Used to fly United exclusively, now only American. Everything now seems more full most of the time, but could be my imagination. Or it could be because I'm getting older and crankier.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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Numbers are up tourist wise not down it’s just business from different places...
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
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What is also curious is how will the Aldiana (Breezes) renovation fit in with European Flights curtailing year round trips. Since 45% of the ownership is a UK company maybe another flight plan is in the works?



I was waiting for the rumour that Thomas Cook would resume flights here now that they own real estate here, but nothing on the radar yet.

I was also waiting to see if the rumour that Amber Cove would change to a transit port where cruisers could embark or disembark their cruise from POP, like La Romana.  But at the moment it's just a rumour.

Considering what damage hurricanes Irma and Maria did to a lot of the Caribbean last year, we were hoping to an upturn in European traffic this year.

The Summer sun alternatives in Europe still remain the same, eg the Mediterranean.  But Turkey, Egypt and North Africa are losing favour.

It seems to me that the Dominican ministry of tourism is neglecting to promote the North Coast of the DR in Europe and incentivise  their tour operators.
 

GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
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I use jfk and newark, miami and Charlotte. Used to fly United exclusively, now only American. Everything now seems more full most of the time, but could be my imagination. Or it could be because I'm getting older and crankier.

POP is super convenient, but the flights stink and are expensive. I've been using STI despite the extra travel time. Usually, I can combine trips to STI into my airport plans, so there's really no penalty. I usually chat up the tourists on my flights and they are almost all heading to PP or Sosua.

I think POP needs to be more competitive. It would be awesome if they could attract Southwest. I'm not sure if JetBlue flys in there. It's sad to see a piece of infrastructure being underused.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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Someone needs to examine the fare structure. Why should a flight from Miami to Medellin be half the cost of Miami to POP ? To have to pay $800 for a return flight to POP to Florida seems like gouging when it is $410 RT to Medellin.
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
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It’s price of doing business no different really it’s passed to consumer.. look at Toronto YYZ the most expensive fees in the world
Yet west jet flies YYZ-POP and they are thriving growing... 

I bet Canadians don't charge customs and excise on aviation fuel though? The moronic Dominicans do.

I will keep banging on the drum that I've continued to beat to any Dominican minister I've ever met, that it doesn't pay to charge tax on aviation fuel. Airport ramps are technically duty free zones, so it doesn't make sense to charge tax on a commodity that goes from one international airport to another.

If fuel is expensive at one airport, they will simply carry more fuel with them from a cheaper airport. It's called tankering and is usually very expensive for them. Short and medium haul flights can absorb that, but obviously with higher fares. It's much more difficult on long haul flights.

But try and get past the typical level of Dominican mentality of I'd rather make five dollars now, than five hundred in the future.
 

mobrouser

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
2,339
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I bet Canadians don't charge customs and excise on aviation fuel though? The moronic Dominicans do.....

The federal government charges av fuel excise tax only on domestic flights. But the provinces can add their tax too. For instance Ontario charges $0.067 per litre for av fuel on both domestic and international flights - highest rate in the country.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
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A recent example....

EWR-POP

Receipt for
United Airlines, A Star Alliance MemberUnited logo link to home page
Confirmation:
Check-In >
Issue Date: February 01, 2018
TRAVELER INFORMATION
Traveler
eTicket Number
Frequent FlyerNumber
Seats


0162383807301

UA-XXXXX484

20D/20D

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Day, Date Flight Class Departure City and Time Arrival City and Time Aircraft Meal
Mon, 12MAR18

UA1486

L

NEWARK, NJ
(EWR - LIBERTY) 8:50 AM
PUERTO PLATA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
(POP) 12:40 PM

737-900

Purchase

Tue, 03APR18 UA1484 T PUERTO PLATA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
(POP) 1:15 PM NEWARK, NJ
(EWR - LIBERTY) 5:15 PM 737-900 Purchase

FARE INFORMATION
Fare Breakdown
Airfare:298.00USD
U.S. Customs User Fee: 5.65
U.S. Immigration User Fee: 7.00
U.S. APHIS User Fee: 3.96
U.S. Transportation Tax: 36.60
September 11th Security Fee: 5.60
Dominican Republic Departure Tax: 20.00
Dom. Republic Airport Authority Fee: 30.00
Dom. Republic Airport Infrastructure Fee: 32.60
U.S. Passenger Facility Charge: 4.50
Per Person Total: 443.91USD
eTicket Total: 443.91USD
-----
The airfare you paid on this itinerary totals: 298.00 USD
The taxes, fees, and surcharges paid total: 145.91 USD
============================================

I bet that plane doesn't refuel....

The Euro flights do.... Beeza's point was that - long hauls need fuel
 

lacyla123

Member
Oct 19, 2016
60
3
8
I had to recently go via the US from Heathrow to STI because the prices going via Germany to POP with Eurowings and Condor were extortionate; the Condor flights still are for the next few months. Any one know any particular reason as to why? Other than the fact that Air Berlin went bust.
 

franco1111

Bronze
May 29, 2013
1,248
229
63
Gringo
Puerto Plata.- Canadian, US, Russian and Swedish markets paced the growth of tourism to Puerto Plata by air, according to Central Bank figures.

Puerto Plata posted a net jump of 41,740 visitors, non-resident foreigners in 2017, through Luperón International Airport, which receiving 449,082 travelers, compared to 407,342 in 2016, climbing 10.2%.

The growth, which makes Puerto Plata the only destination with a two-figure increase that year, was shored up by the the Canadian market’s strong growth, with 28,477 more tourists than in 2016, receiving 170,472 visitors compared to 141,995 of that period, for a 20% jump.

The US contributed 6,756 tourists more than in 2016, from 117,247 to 124,003 in 2017, or 5.7% higher.

Russia rebounded with 6,651 more tourists than the previous year, a 54.1% increase, from 5,521 in 2016 to 12,172 in 2017.

The Swedish market grew 21%, from 10,516 visitors in 2016 to 12,719 last year.

https://dominicantoday.com/dr/tourism/2018/02/05/puerto-platas-tourism-rebound-by-the-numbers/