Dominican Republic. December 20, 2023.- 2023 has been excellent for air transport in the country, indicated the president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), Dr. José Ernesto Marte Piantini in the last ordinary session of this year. At the end of this month, 1.64 million passengers would travel on international flights in and out, according to the version projected by the Statistics Section of the organization's Department of Air Transport.
Marte Piantini told the members of the plenary session that, compared to airline activity in December of last year, by the end of December of this year, the number of passengers on international flights could increase by 13%, as projected. The expectation is that the year 2023 will close with a record of 17.46 million passengers transported by air. He pointed out that this figure would represent a growth of approximately 2 million additional passengers, transported by the country's international terminals, compared to the year 2022.
For 32 consecutive months (from April 2021 to November 2023), air passenger traffic to/from the Dominican Republic has increased, making it the longest period of growth in the last 20 years.
He added that in the first 11 months of 2023, a monthly average of 1.44 million passengers have been transported. The president of the organization highlighted that this average exceeds the busiest month of 2019 (January), in which 1.42 million passengers were transported.
Likewise, he assured that air transport is a competitive tool that consolidates trade and generates jobs and foreign exchange in the Dominican territory. “The confidence that air transport maintains in the country in international markets is manifested through the great dynamism in flights international passengers and cargo through airport terminals,” he said.
He indicated that, since the beginning of the current government, the Civil Aviation Board has shown the interest that air operators have in the sector. As an example it announced the new application AIR CANADA, to operate the Ottawa/Punta route under Special Permit. Cana/Ottawa, and the request to renew the SUNWING AIRLINES Operating Permit, both Canadian operators. “These requests will increase connectivity options and impact traveler arrival numbers,” he said.
Likewise, the members of the plenary session also learned about the request for a Special Permit from the foreign air operator Rutaca to operate the Maturín, Venezuela/Santo Domingo/Maturín, Venezuela route; route that will be operated with a frequency of one flight, on Wednesdays, on A737-300 model aircraft.
During the hearing of the application for the Rutaca Special Permit, the president of the organization highlighted that this operator transported 28,842 passengers in 1,140 air operations from January 2022 to November 2023.