Summary
- Arajet welcomed its tenth Boeing 737 MAX 8, named ‘Los Haitises,’ with a Dominican flag displayed on the fuselage.
- The airline’s CEO stated that the new aircraft will enable the airline to expand its route network, reiterating Arajet’s desire to fly to the US.
- The carrier applied for flights to the US in March 2023. However, in addition to the process stalling, several stakeholders filed objections to Arajet’s motion.
Arajet, a Dominican Republic-based low-cost carrier, has welcomed its tenth Boeing 737 MAX 8 with a special livery that showcased the country’s flag across the fuselage of the aircraft. Named the ‘Los Haitises,’ the aircraft joined the airline’s fleet on June 10, 2024. The airline reiterated its desire to fly to the United States.
Eyeing flights to the United States
Raquel Peña, the Vice President of the Dominican Republic, and Víctor Pacheco Méndez, the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Arajet, welcomed the new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft as it arrived at Santo Domingo Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) on June 10.
Boeing delivered the 737 MAX 8 at King County International Airport (BFI), and the aircraft subsequently flew to SDQ, Flightradar24 data showed. Operating under the special flight code DM1101, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 spent six hours and 36 minutes in the air before landing in the capital of the Dominican Republic.
Photo: Boeing
Nevertheless, Méndez highlighted that the reason why the airline’s tenth aircraft was special was not only its special livery but also the fact that it would enable Arajet to expand its route network within Latin America, democratizing the skies and connecting countries with low prices.
According to the CEO, while it currently flies to 23 destinations in 16 countries, Arajet hopes to begin services to the US sometime in 2024. However, the airline’s decision to launch flights to the US weighs on the Dominican Republic signing an Open Skies agreement with the former country.
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Exclusive Boeing 737 MAX operator
Méndez pointed out that the dream of turning the Dominican Republic into the new hub of the continent has become a reality. The CEO also stated that the aircraft’s name, ‘Los Haitises,’ means high land or a land of mountains and that it was one of the most beautiful places in the Dominican Republic.
Photo: Boeing
According to ch-aviation data, the airline operates an exclusive fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with 13 more aircraft on order. In addition, Arajet should take delivery of four Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 aircraft. Between May 2015 and May 2016, the airline, which was then known as Dominican Wings, had a single Airbus A320. The site indicated that Arajet was an extension of Dominican Wings, which later rebranded to flycana between 2018 and 2021.
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Application drama
In March 2023, Arajet sent an application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), petitioning for the Department to grant an exemption for the Dominican low-cost carrier to operate scheduled commercial flights, which includes flying passengers and cargo to the US. The airline said that it wanted to operate itineraries to San Juan, Puerto Rico, New York, and Miami, with all three points being bilaterally authorized points under an air transport agreement (ATA) between the US and the Dominican Republic.
“ARAJET looks forward to initiating service to the United States with its fleet of Boeing 737-MAX aircraft and bringing many travel and consumer benefits, new economic opportunities, and additional competition to the U.S.-Dominican Republic market.”
Photo: Daniel Martínez Garbuno | Simple Flying
However, while the DOT has not approved the airline’s application, five stakeholders filed objections to Arajet beginning services in the US. For example, one stakeholder alleged that the airline was an unlawful carrier, operating “with the support of nepotism and direct political support by the Dominican Aviation Authorities and political personality.”
In a consolidated reply to the objections and the subsequent correspondences, the airline’s counsel stated that the filed documents continue a similar pattern of inaccurate and misleading statements against Arajet that have been filed by the same parties. Beyond that, the application process has not progressed further.
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