President Luis Abinader has openly favored building wider roads to connect existing international airports instead of more airports.
Recently, the government has authorized the construction of the Pedernales International Airport and two additional domestic airports — the southwestern San Juan de la Maguana Domestic Airport and the Nisibon Air Park domestic airport in the east.
Abinader made the remarks at a time when the Supreme Court of Justice has ruled against the construction of the Bavaro International Airport, a would-be second airport to serve arrivals to Punta Cana resorts in the East. The proponents of the airport continue to press for the construction.
President Abinader spoke of the harm the authorizing of an international airport in Santiago has done to the tourism destination of Puerto Plata. The alternative would have been to expand the road linking Santiago and Puerto Plata, only a half an hour’s drive. Instead, the government at the time gave permits for the construction of the Cibao International Airport, smack in the urban center of Santiago province.
Today, Puerto Plata has a lovely large airport with few airlines flying into it. Fares are cheaper to the Santiago, Santo Domingo, or Punta Cana international airports.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
1 February 2024