Tourism Minister Félix Jiménez yesterday called into question the decision of the Civil Aeronautics Board (JAC) to deny Tower Air’s request for permission to operate flights between Boston, Miami and New York and Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Santo Domingo. How can the DR invest US$3 million to attract more U.S. tourists to this country, he asked, and then deny permission to an airline that would help accommodate higher visitor flows from that country? He revealed that he has written to JAC President Vitelio Mejía asking him to reconsider the decision and provide at least provisional permission to Tower Air so that it might begin regular flights in short order. Traditional carriers that service the routes are booked full with Dominican residents in the US that travel home for the holidays.
