A popular destination for the French, the Dominican Republic will no longer be a regular destination for Air France starting next spring. Translation, the flights available throughout the year will only be available during a certain period.
“Air France confirms that its connections from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), which until now were made throughout the year, will become seasonal as of the end of the 2022-2023 winter season. and the last flights will be scheduled. for March 23 and 25, 2023 respectively, for a resumption at the end of October, for the winter season 2023-2024.
Air France does not justify this decision, limiting itself to explaining that its flight programs are established according to demand and are subject to “regular adjustments”.
Kerosene and euro/dollar parity
However, the Dominican Republic is a reference destination with 5 million foreign tourists in its territory in 2021 (and 5.3 million since the beginning of the year), including more than 150,000 via Air France, a good occupancy rate.
Two factors could explain this decision. The sharp rise in the price of kerosene that would make connections with the Caribbean island more profitable. According to TourMag, the price of fuel at the destination would be 35% more expensive than in the Antilles or even 25% more expensive than in Cancun. A difficulty reinforced by the current strength of the dollar against the euro.
This summer, the company has also applied a “fuel surcharge” to offset part of this outbreak. An increase that varied from 50 to 300 euros.
The fierce competition on routes to the Caribbean, with Air Caraïbes and Corsair, would have also weighed in the balance.
Source: BFM TV
