As part of its open skies policy, the Dominican Civil Aviation Board (JAC) has signed an aviation agreement with Saudi Arabia. The agreement was signed when the aviation board directors coincided in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the Brazil – Saudi Arabia International Aviation Conference.
The civil aviation authorities of both governments signed the agreement to allow direct or stopover flights between both nations and beyond. The signing took place on 4 October 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) of the Dominican Republic, José Ernesto Marte Piantini, and the president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej signed the air services agreement to facilitate the flow of cargo and passenger flights between both nations.
The agreement establishes the legal framework that governs air transport between the two territories.
Marte Piantini said the document includes the bilateral clauses on air transport services recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and includes aspects to facilitate the air-commercial relationship between the two nations, such as liberalization in the designation of airlines, the freedom to determine rates and the possibility of establishing commercial cooperation agreements between airlines.
“This agreement contemplates the legal, regulatory and commercial provisions, allowing air operators from both countries direct or stopover flights without limit of routes and frequencies,” said the Dominican official.
He reiterated that the agreement, which establishes the rules for operations between the Dominican Republic and Saudi Arabia, also contemplates provisions on non-scheduled or charter flight operations, among other aspects.
He added that, among the main provisions, the Dominican-Saudi Agreement establishes the granting of 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights for passenger and cargo air transport services.
The official explained that with the signing of this agreement, the government ratifies the commitment to continue promoting its Open Skies Policy, a policy that has allowed the country to sign agreements with more than 70 nations. “The Open Skies policy has allowed the Dominican Republic to maintain stable air connectivity, benefiting passengers arriving from numerous airports,” said Marte Piantini.
He pointed out that the agreement with Saudi Arabia seeks to open new markets as part of the current administration’s permanent search for strategic allies to promote and encourage cargo and passenger transportation. “We have managed to sign agreements in the field of commercial air transportation with four of the five most important economies in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the State of Qatar and now the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he stated.
Marte Piantini said the agreement may give the Dominican Republic an advantage over the other countries in the region by connecting via air Dominican trade with Saudi Arabia.
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Civil Aviation Board
14 November 2023