On Friday May 2, the maiden flight of the new national airline, Air Dominicana, will take off from the International Airport of the Americas (AILA).

...Air Dominicana is the product of the climate of trust, confidence and economic stability ...

Tourism Minister Félix Jiménez made the announcement and confirmed that Dominican President Leonel Fernández will be on the inaugural flight that will soar over Dominican territory.

“The airplane, coming from Mallorca, Spain, will arrive here next week for test flights. Then, on May 2, it will take off at 10:00 a.m. from AILA with the President on board for a 2-and-a-half hour round-trip flight,” said Mr. Jiménez.

To celebrate this historic flight, several officials and journalists have also been invited including opinion makers and representatives from the general tourism industry, added Jiménez.

He went on to explain that Air Dominicana is a mixed private and public sector initiative with the state owning 30% and the remaining 70% in private hands.

Sixteen airline pilots – 14 Dominicans and 2 Spaniards –will initially be operating this new Boeing 737 until other planes are acquired and become part of the Air Dominicana fleet. The pilots were trained at the Panam Academy Training Center in Miami, Florida while the airline’s technical personnel received their training in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Minister Jiménez stressed that Air Dominicana is the product of the climate of trust, confidence and economic stability that has prevailed throughout the current government administration and this is further reflected in the numerous development investments made in the country’s main tourism areas.