President Hipolito Mejia was in Barahona where he made a payment of RD$56.3 million to 23 families whose lands were expropriated 16 years ago to build the Maria Montez International Airport. The payment became necessary in order to start operations at the airport which is now privately run.
The President was also on hand for the start of American Eagle flights from Santo Domingo-Barahona, Barahona-San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Construction of the Barahona airport was started in 1986 under the Balaguer administration and finished in 1994. The American Eagle flight, nevertheless, is the first regular flight into the airport.
American Eagle agreed to fly into Barahona in exchange for being allowed to serve the Herrera-San Juan route, previously only operated by Air Santo Domingo. (8 October 2001)
