Dominica is stepping up efforts to secure air service for its planned international airport, with several major airlines reportedly expressing interest as construction advances.
On Wednesday, Samuel Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the International Airport Development Company (IADC), said route development is being pursued in collaboration with the Dominica Air and Seaports Authority, Discover Dominica Authority and the Access Technical Committee. He stressed that securing airline partnerships is just as important as constructing the airport, since the facility’s success will ultimately depend on regular passenger services.
Existing airline partnerships are already being strengthened ahead of the airport’s completion.
Speaking to local media, Johnson said American Airlines is expected to increase its capacity to Dominica by deploying an Airbus A319 on its Douglas-Charles service from December, raising seating capacity from roughly 76 passengers to about 134.
United Airlines is also slated to resume its seasonal New York-Dominica service in October with two weekly flights using Boeing 737 aircraft.
Meanwhile, IADC has been engaging other carriers, including JetBlue, Delta, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as officials explore additional connections.
Johnson said discussions with airlines are being initiated well in advance because establishing new routes requires considerable planning and long-term commitments from carriers. He said prospective airlines are being regularly updated on the airport’s design and construction schedule so that concerns can be addressed before the facility is completed.
The objective, he explained, is to have several routes ready for activation when the airport officially opens, allowing Dominica to move quickly from construction to expanded international air connectivity.
