LAS AMERICAS AIRPORT.-The interim general director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), Héctor Porcella, assured that the strengthening of air connectivity between Central America and the Dominican Republic will boost tourism and commercial exchange in the region and will favor a reduction in air ticket prices.
Porcella recalled that before the Covid-19 pandemic, air transport in the region already represented a market of 27 billion dollars and 1.28 million jobs, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The official highlighted these statistics when evaluating the results of the recent visit made by a commission from the Dominican aeronautical sector and the ARAJET airline to El Salvador to make possible the opening of new air routes between the two countries.
He indicated that as part of the efforts, which include the start of direct flights between the two countries in charge of ARAJET, the Dominican commissioners first met with representatives of the aeronautical sector of El Salvador and then with President Nayib Bukele, who expressed all his support for the initiative.
The Dominican representation was integrated, in addition to Porcella; by the president of the Civil Aviation Board, José Marte Piantini; the director of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo; the president of ARAJET, Víctor Pacheco; and the director for the Dominican Republic of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, Hostos Rizik.
He stressed that last February the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica agreed to promote tourism and commercial exchange between the two countries, after the signing of an air services agreement between Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez and his Costa Rican counterpart Rodolfo Solano.
On the occasion of this agreement, the Dominican airline RED AIR announced that in the middle of the year it will begin flying to Costa Rica from Santo Domingo.
“So we are making progress in fulfilling the commitment made by President Luis Abinader to expand connections between the Dominican Republic and the rest of the world, with special attention to the sister countries of the continent,” said the official.
Until the time of the pandemic, some 15 international airlines connected to Central America and the Dominican Republic, offering direct or stopover flights, guaranteeing the connection of the region with the world, a situation that will improve with the steps taken by the government of the president Abinader, stressed Héctor Porcella.
