The Dominican Republic will expand its air connectivity by finalizing the air services agreement with the Republic of Guatemala through the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), the body responsible for the study, negotiation and conclusion of international agreements to establish international air transport, as announced by the aeronautical authorities of both countries, José Ernesto Marte Piantini and Francis Arturo Argueta Aguirre, president of the JAC and general director of Civil Aeronautics of Guatemala, respectively.
The information provided by the JAC indicates that the air services agreement signed between the two countries was attended by the President of the Republic of Guatemala, Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, Sara Paulino Cárdenas, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Dominican Republic to the Government of Guatemala and Paola Pla, Secretary of the JAC. The agreement establishes a Freedoms of Air (Open Skies) approach where traffic rights of up to the Sixth Freedom of Air are contemplated for combined and cargo flights, and up to Seventh Freedom of Air for exclusively cargo flights.
Speaking from the capital of Guatemala during the official signing ceremony of the agreement on the transport of passengers, cargo and mail between both countries, Marte Piantini said that signing this document shows the commitment of both nations to strengthen and contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations in the field of civil aviation. He also added that “this new agreement with Guatemala immediately generates new opportunities for Dominican airlines and more options for users of air services from both countries.”
To date, passenger traffic and the movement of aircraft between the Dominican Republic and Guatemala is carried out through flights under the modality of special permits and non-regular or charter flights, without any established routes with direct flights. “From now on, a new stage of Dominican-Guatemalan commercial aviation activity is opening, which will increase the flow of travelers between the countries, especially between the international airports La Aurora and Mundo Maya,” said the president of the JAC.
He stressed that this new agreement would enable the expansion of flights between the two nations and will allow designated airlines to operate between the two territories without frequency limits.
Marte Piantini highlighted the importance of this agreement for the connectivity of the two countries: “Since 2018, some 36,838 Guatemalan travelers have arrived in the Dominican Republic on flights with stopovers in Tocumen, Panama or Ft. Lauderdale in the USA. With this agreement we intend to establish direct scheduled flights.”
The president of the JAC also said that this agreement marks an important milestone in the bilateral relations of the two countries. “This Open Skies agreement establishes a legal framework for international air transport in order to facilitate the growth of an efficient civil aviation system that fosters the creation of new opportunities for both countries,” Marte Piantini told reporters. ” President Luis Abinader wants the Dominican Republic to continue with its Open Skies policy for the benefit of the Dominican air sector, thus promoting commercial exchange,” said the president of the JAC at the conclusion of the definitive signing of the agreement.
The agreement and air relations between DR and Guatemala
The agreement establishes an Open Skies approach (full liberalization), flexibility to operate flights in either direction or both, combining different flight numbers in the operation of an aircraft, Sixth Freedom of Air traffic rights for passengers on routes operated by airlines designated for both countries and more. In addition, the agreement provides that the designated airlines can carry out operations under the Codeshare regime and on non-scheduled or charter flights.
Source:
Infotur Dominicano
