Four Dominican international airports, including the two of most traffic, are now under the private management of Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom). Aerodom is a consortium made up by majority shareholder DR-based Operaciones Aeroportuarias del Caribe (Dominican Republic), Ogden Corporation (United States), YVR Airport Services (Canada) and Impregilio (Italy). Ogden Corporation is the world’s largest independent aviation services company. See http://www.ogden.com/aviation/index.htm YVR Airport Services is the development/operations arm of the Vancouver, British Columbia, airport authority. The Vancouver Airport has a reputation as one of the best-managed airports in the world. See http://www.yvr.ca/generalinfo/airportauthority/yvras.htm Impregilio is the Milan, Italy-based subsidiary of the Italian company Fiat with significant airport development and construction experience. Aerodom was formed to undertake the airport improvements and to provide ongoing oversight and management of the airports. Aerodom will collect and retain aeronautical revenues such as aircraft landing and parking fees, airport terminal revenues including passenger facility charges and fees from airport services providers, and all commercial revenues, rents and fees at Las Americas Airport (Santo Domingo), Gregorio Luperon Airport (Puerto Plata), Maria Montez Airport (Barahona) and Arroyo Barril Airport (Samana). Of the four, only the first two are in operation. The contract establishes that Aerodom will be responsible for the administration, operation, maintenance, modernization, commercial exploitation, renewal and expansion of the airports. The consortium commits to invest US$203 million (US$96 million in Las Americas-Santo Domingo, US$47 million in Gregorio Luperon-Puerto Plata, US$55 million Arroyo Barril-Samaná and US$5 million in Maria Montez-Barahona) in a 24-month program to improve the infrastructure of all four airports to meet project traffic increases until the year 2015. A second round of improvements worth US$106 million (US$52 million, US$32 million, US$14 million, US$8 million, respectively) is foreseen to meet needs until the year 2030. It also promises to invest US$85 million during the contract period to promote and foster tourism in the DR. Under the terms of the concession, the government can at any time during the first 20 years demand changes in modernization plans for the airports. The consortium’s investments are guaranteed not to raise present taxes on passengers and cargo, although it is allowed to impose a special US$5 charge for the use of Arroyo Barril airport in Samaná. Safety, customs, and migration services will continue to be operated by the government. (3 April 2000)
