Open skies agreement with US coming soon

[Dolores]

Once the 19 May 2024 presidential election is over, the country will most likely witness the signing of a free skies agreement with the United States. The present agreement limits the airports Dominican airlines can fly into.

When in Washington, D.C. on 8 May 2024 to receive the Americas Society/Council of the Americas Leadership Award, President Luis Abinader announced the completion of negotiations with the United States for the signing of the Open Skies Agreement. The main objective of the agreement is to generate a greater climate of competition in commercial aviation.

As reported in El Dia, President Abinader said the agreement would be signed in the coming days now that the negotiation process that has lasted years due to its multiple implications is finalized. He said the agreement clauses had to be reconciled with the players in the aviation sector in both the DR and the United States...

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[windeguy]

What cities will be added to the Direct flights to and from the DR?

 

[JimW]

In that article the key sentence is; "The draft of the agreement is not known to the general public nor the reasons/clauses it may include "

The largest Dominican diaspora in the US (New York/New Jersey, Boston, Miami etc. ) are already being served by at least two airlines per city. Want to decrease the cost of flights? Look at the taxes and fees. The taxes and fees account for more than 60% of the total cost.

 

[PJT]

Think the passage of this agreement may be a lead-in to bring US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance to DR international airports. A preclearance in the DR will allow airlines to fly direct non-stop to more US cities, passengers would not have the stress of clearing and making transfers at US international hub airports. Think of it, Dominican Customs/Immigration clearance and US Preclearance at a Dominican airport.

Guess this has not been announced... if it was to be announced, because of the election in the near future. Guess the leadership does not want to lose the votes of the superpatriots, superpatriots who may become upset about foreign state people on sovereign Dominican soil. After the election is over, anything goes.

Regards,

PJT

 

[windeguy]

Think the passage of this agreement may be a lead-in to bring US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance to DR international airports. A preclearance in the DR will allow airlines to fly direct non-stop to more US cities, passengers would not have the stress of clearing and making transfers at US international hub airports. Think of it, Dominican Customs/Immigration clearance and US Preclearance at a Dominican airport.

Is that what open skies means from other countries? No need to pass through 3 hours of a line at JFK to get a Dominican passport stamped
?

Guess this has not been announced... if it was to be announced, because of the election in the near future. Guess the leadership does not want to lose the votes of the superpatriots, superpatriots who may become upset about foreign state people on sovereign Dominican soil. After the election is over, anything goes.

Regards,

PJT

I have no idea on that.

 

[playacaribe2]

Is that what open skies means from other countries? No need to pass through 3 hours of a line at JFK to get a Dominican passport stamped
?

I have no idea on that.

They are two separate and distinct programs. One does not necessarily beget the other.

TSA pre-clearance was announced in late 2016 for Punta Cana.......and has gone nowhere since. It might have something to do with how "unsecure" PUJ really is. Since the announcement the airport has come under heavy scrutiny for its lack of controls.....but lots of other details are also involved.

Open skies, likely to be approved to begin for the 3rd or 4th quarter, merely allows airlines from both countries to fly from/to anywhere in each others country. In all likelihood for the DR airlines, that means Miami, New York, San Juan.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[windeguy]

They are two separate and distinct programs. One does not necessarily beget the other.

TSA pre-clearance was announced in late 2016 for Punta Cana.......and has gone nowhere since. It might have something to do with how "unsecure" PUJ really is. Since the announcement the airport has come under heavy scrutiny for its lack of controls.....but lots of other details are also involved.

Open skies, likely to be approved to begin for the 3rd or 4th quarter, merely allows airlines from both countries to fly from/to anywhere in each others country. In all likelihood for the DR airlines, that means Miami, New York, San Juan.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

As I suspected. No significant changes for me.

 

[PJT]

Is that what open skies means from other countries? No need to pass through 3 hours of a line at JFK to get a Dominican passport stamped
?

I have no idea on that.

A US preclearance at a Dominican airport would mean no waiting 3 hours for passport stamping at JFK. The stamping would be at the Dominican airport having a US preclearance venue.

A US Open skies agreement with the DR provides more freedoms for airlines offering passenger and cargo services. Open Skies stands by itself but also be an unconfirmed omen of a possible future US preclearance site in the DR to enhance the open skies freedoms,


Regards,

PJT

 

[windeguy]

A US preclearance at a Dominican airport would mean no waiting 3 hours for passport stamping at JFK. The stamping would be at the Dominican airport having a US preclearance venue.

A US Open skies agreement with the DR provides more freedoms for airlines offering passenger and cargo services. Open Skies stands by itself but also be an unconfirmed omen of a possible future US preclearance site in the DR to enhance the open skies freedoms,


Regards,

PJT

Thanks. I won't hold my breath on that pre-clearance for POP to ever happen.
So, the only benefits will likely be more people at more US locations being able to fly directly to and from Punta Cana.