Will increase aircraft fleet

Dominican Republic airline carrier Arajet will be expanding its operations into the region and has its sights set on entering the United States market, in particular Miami and New York.

 Arajet began operations on September 15, 2022 with 5 aircraft flying to 15 destinations. That same year, saw it setting up in  Jamaica where it now flys five times a week from Kingston to Santa Domingo. 

Today, the Dominican Republic carrier has 10 aircraft flying to 23 destinations, transporting more than 1.2 million passengers throughout its network.

It has gateways from Canada all the way to  Buenos Aries, Chile, San Paulo, Colombia, Peru, Mexico  and the Caribbean. In the Caribbean  it has a presence in Jamaica, Aruba, Curacao and  St Maarten. Caribbean Airlines, headquartered in Trinidad& Tobago was supposed to be a regional carrier for the people of the Caribbean but in recent times has encountered difficulties that has hampered its progress. Arajet has taken the mantle of being a regional carrier servicing that need for both leisure and commercial air travel.

Arajet’s Chief of Staff Otto Gonzalez and Vice President for Sales and Distribution Jessica Weinerth in an interview with Our Today, spoke to the airline’s progress to date and its plans for the future.

“Our progress and growth has been steady. We were delighted to win Start-up Airline of the Year (airlines started from 2020 to 2023). We were selected as winners among 150 airlines.  The reception we received from Jamaica has been overwhelming with an increase of 1,600 per cent  in passengers over the last two years. The year 2022 closed with 3,000 passengers  and now the  route has 60,000 passengers. Very soon we will be providing direct connectivity to Punta Carna,”  declared Otto Gonzalez.

The Dominican Republic is one of the standout economies of the Caribbean region with 10 million tourists visiting its shores, making it the most popular Caribbean destination. It has a GDP of US$125 billion with growth expected to come in at 5 per cent this year.

For years before Arajet arrived on the scene, it was arduous to fly to the Dominican Republic. One had to travel to different hubs throughout the region including Miami, Panama, Turks & Caicos. To get to the Dominican Republic could be a journey of eleven hours. You could get to London quicker than a country within the Caribbean. Now the flight from Kingston to Santa Domingo with Arajet takes just one hour and ten minutes, which is shorter than a trip to Miami. 

The way Otto Gonzalez sees it, with growth comes additional capacity and the market has plenty of space to grow. The airline’s  model is to provide affordable leisure and business travel, good service and to connect the region and its peoples.

The Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Angie Martinez has received many plaudits for ensuring Arajet’s success in Jamaica and Otto Gonzalez credits here contribution for what it has been able to accomplish in the largest English-speaking Caribbean country.

“ We are happy with the involvement of Ambassador Angie Martinez. She has been pivotal to the growth of the Jamaican market. She has been the cataylst, not only opening doors in the tourism sector but with the Government and other institutions. We visited the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and emphasised how important we see the Jamaican route. We want to work together with the JTB on the route  but not  only to Santa Domingo but also to the rest of our network.

Jamaica is not only a gateway for additional tourism but is an option for visiting relatives and friends.  It is a channel for more opportunity to do business in the region,” said Otto Gonzalez.

The airline connects between 400 and 900 passengers daily through its hub and offers 200 connecting opportunities throughout its network. The aim is to have a disciplined, low cost structure without leaving aside safety.

 Jessica Weinerth of Arajet said: “ Jamaicans are already aware that we offer reasonable ticket prices and we have reduced prices by 60 per cent throughout our operations while reducing travel time to the Dominican Republic, now that’s a pretty good deal. Jamaica to the Dominican Republic round trip on Arajet is just US$300 including tax and fees. In October, Jamaicans will be able to fly direct to Punta Cana. Our aircraft of choice is the Boeing 737-Max. It allows us a competitive cost base, fuel efficiency/ low consumption. It gives us a scale cost structure,” 

Otto Gonzalez added: “ We see ourselves as the gateway to the western hemisphere and it is a responsibility we take seriously. We see a market in the Caribbean region and we are happy to stimulate this demand. Arajet has come into markets that were not previously served and we have seen growth. Jamaica is an example of that growth. We started with just two flights a week, now we  are up to five flights a week.

“Promoting travel in our backyard is a part of our vision. It goes beyond just leisure, there are business opportunities across the islands and Arajet can play its part to create a trading block.”

While Arajet has been encouraged by the uptake in Jamaica, there still remains a problem. Jamaicans do not require a visa to go to the Dominican Republic. So while the loads are good going to Santa Domingo, it is restrictive for Dominicans who want to come to Jamaica which requires a visa. Ambassador Angie Martinez has been relentlessly seeking to have this addressed.

 She explained: “ Without a visa it is a difficult for our people to visit the beautiful island of Jamaica which has so much to offer. There has always been a connection between our people and the people of Jamaica. We hope sooner rather than later that we will be celebrating the abolition of the visa requirement for Dominicans to enter Jamaica. We have a wonderful bilateral relationship between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. We are about to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. I hope we can celebrate that momentous anniversary with the news that Dominicans no longer require a visa to come to Jamaica.

“There are many Dominicans who want to come to Jamaica, to explore the culture and enjoy carnival and reggae music. Since I began my diplomatic duties here in Jamaica, I have seen a greater attraction to Jamaica by Dominicans. Jamaica is very sexy! I want to see that translate into more tourism from my country.”

With Arajet’s bold plans and the strides it has made thus far, would it consider listing on a stock exchange? 

Otto Gonzalez replied that for now the focus is on generating value for its shareholders.

“We want to take Arajet to the next level. On our current trajectory, we want to compete not only in  the LATAM region but also in other big markets. We have no immediate plans to list. We will be focusing on servicing our customers and growing the network. We will be a true regional carrier. We are looking to have 43 aircraft in the coming years to service the additional gateways we have been talking about.

“Plans are in motion to enter the U.S. market, targeting specifically Miami, New York and Puerto Rico. There are two million Dominicans in the United States. For those wanting to travel from South to North, we see ourselves as a gateway able to do that. We have a masterplan to the end of 2030 and will addd on more gateways in the U.S. We hope to be in the U.S. by the end of this year.”