El vicepresidente ejecutivo de Air Century, Carlos Jiménez, informó que los vuelos domésticos desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Dr. Joaquín Balaguer (La Isabela) en Santo Domingo hacia el Aeródromo de Cabo Rojo en Pedernales han sido suspendidos por un año. A pesar de esto, la aerolínea está considerando reabrir la ruta comercial en el próximo año como un proyecto a explorar. El compromiso de la compañía para realizar estas operaciones finalizó el 30 de junio de 2023, y el acuerdo inicial era por 60 horas con la posibilidad de una extensión de 30 horas adicionales. Las transferencias se realizaban en una aeronave con capacidad para 19 pasajeros y el vuelo duraba 35 minutos.
Carlos Jiménez also mentioned that the agreements between the company and the Fideicomiso Pro-Pedernales were based on milestones or hours flown, and they had to discontinue the operations after fulfilling the agreed-upon times. The flights from Santo Domingo to Pedernales started in October 2022 for a fee of US$50 each way, operating twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, but only lasted for seven months. The decision to suspend the operations was based on the fulfillment of the agreements and not due to any other specific reasons, according to Diario Libre.
Despite the discontinuation of the domestic flights to Pedernales, Air Century is still considering reopening the commercial route in the future. Jiménez stated that this is a project "to be explored" for the upcoming year, indicating that the airline may resume operations to Cabo Rojo Aerodrome in Pedernales. It is important to note that the closure of the operations was in line with the agreements made between the company and the local authorities, as per the specified milestones and hours flown.
The flights from the Dr. Joaquín Balaguer International Airport to the Cabo Rojo Aerodrome were introduced as a way to facilitate travel between Santo Domingo and Pedernales, offering a convenient and affordable transportation option for passengers. The service operated with a small aircraft capable of carrying 19 passengers and had a short flight duration of only 35 minutes. Despite the service being discontinued for now, there is a possibility that it may be resumed in the future to meet the transportation needs of travelers between the two destinations.
In conclusion, the decision to suspend the domestic flights from Santo Domingo to Pedernales was based on fulfilling the agreements between Air Century and the Fideicomiso Pro-Pedernales, which were tied to specific milestones and hours flown. While the operations have been discontinued for a year, the airline is considering reopening the commercial route in the future as a potential project for the upcoming year. The initial flights offered a convenient and affordable travel option for passengers, with transfers conducted twice a week and lasting only 35 minutes. It remains to be seen if the flights will resume in the future to once again connect Santo Domingo and Pedernales through air travel.
