An open skies agreement signed with the United States on 2 August 2024 is expected to kick in at the start of 2025, boosting new frequencies between both countries. The agreement received the okay of the Senate on 27 November 2024 and Chamber of Deputies on 6 December 2024. It had been cleared on 18 November by the Constitutional Court in the Dominican Republic.
Now that both chambers of the Dominican Congress have approved the agreement, the next step is for it to be enacted by President Abinader. “After that, the ratification instruments will be exchanged with the concerned country, in this case, the United States, and then it will come into full effect,” explained Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez.
The agreement is expected to bring competition that will reduce airfares, particularly for those traveling from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Highlighting the expected increase in flight frequencies, Foreign Minister Alvarez emphasized how the agreement would help Dominican families stay closely connected through much cheaper flights and new destinations in the United States than before.
Arajet, the low cost carrier based at the Las Americas and Punta Cana International Airport has announced plans to start flights to New York, Miami and Puerto Rico shortly. The airline had placed its request with the US Department of Transportation in March 2023.
In a related news story, US President-elect Donald Trump named the sister-in-law of his nominee for Secretary of Transportation (Sean Duffy), Leah Francis Campos as his choice for ambassador in the Dominican Republic.
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El Caribe
Diario Libre
17 December 2024