News

With the scheduled phase-out of American Eagle of its San Juan, Puerto Rico Base approaching, the Government of Dominica is now in discussion with Air BVI exploring the possibilities of scheduling frequent flights into Dominica.

Concerns are mounting about the impact that American Eagle’s pull out will have on passengers especially medical students getting into Dominica. American Eagle announced to employees recently that the San Juan base will be closed by March 2013.

Parliamentary Representative for the Cottage Constituency, Hon. Reginald Austrie told a recent town hall meeting in Bense that Government is now holding discussions with Air BVI to explore the possibilities of purchasing or leasing new airplanes to accommodate increased flights into Dominica.

“We have in fact been talking to Air BVI. I have attended several meetings with Air BVI and Ross University trying to see if we can work a sort of tripartite arrangement with Ross, the Government of Dominica and Air BVI to see if they can buy or lease the two of three new planes that they need. I believe discussions are still ongoing in that regard but we have our eyes on Air BVI because we see that as one of the solutions to the difficulties that we will be having when American Eagle withdraws their services from Dominica.”

Currently American Eagle serves Dominica with eight hundred and ninety-six (896) seats from San Juan on a weekly basis.

Air BVI now has six weekly flights coming into Dominica with its main offices located in Tortola.

Reports indicate that American Eagle airline is now overhauling its routes and international operations in the wake of American Airlines’ ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring process.

According to the sources all ATR 72 turboprop planes are being phased out at the end of 2013.