An Open Skies agreement years in the making has been concluded between Canada and the Dominican Republic, allowing airlines from both countries to operate freely within each others' territories.
While not yet announced by the government of Canada, local media in the DR report that the agreement was signed on Thursday, 02FEB, at the Dominican Republic's National Palace by the president of the country's Civil Aviation Board and Canada's ambassador to the DR.
Discussions about an Open Skies agreement apparently started as long ago as 2008 - which is the most recent government of Canada statement published on its own web site.
Nevertheless, SimpleFlying reports that negotiations resumed in earnest two years ago, and their successful conclusion means that airlines from both countries technically can operate flights from any airport in Canada to any in the Dominican Republic.
Dominican officials referred to the agreement as "one of the most important" air agreements for the DR, adding it allows airlines, as driven by market demand, "to operate beyond current frequencies, which will increase flights and diversify destinations between both countries," as well as enabling direct, charter, and non-scheduled flights, as well as codeshares.
SimpleFlying notes that over 700,000 Canadians visited the Dominican Republic in 2022, even while COVID restrictions remained in place, affirming the importance of the market.
While right now, it says that 94 per cent of flights between the two countries are operated by Canadian carriers, the new agreement will open the door to more flights - and potentially, other players, for example, Dominican airline Arajet, which "has signaled its intent for some time to commence operations" between Canada and the DR.
Observers predict that, as a result of the new Open Skies agreement, "with increased scheduling predicted, the costs of airfares are expected to drop, enabling more opportunities for travelers between the two nations."
