Arajet

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Arajet
Arajet.webp
IATA ICAO Call sign
DMDWIDOMINICAN
Founded2014 (as Dominican Wings)
2021 (as Arajet)
Commenced operations15 September 2022;2 years ago (2022-09-15)
Operating bases
Fleet size10
Destinations22 [2]
Headquarters Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Key people Victor Miguel Pacheco Mendez (Founder)
Website www.arajet.com

Arajet S.A. is an ultra low-cost airline and the flag carrier of the Dominican Republic. [3] [4] [5] Operations began on 15 September 2022 with a flight to Barranquilla, Colombia. [6]

Contents

History

Early operations

Arajet Boeing B737 MAX 8 Arajet-flag.jpg
Arajet Boeing B737 MAX 8

In late 2014, Dominican Wings received its air operator's certificate from the Dominican Republic's civil aviation authority and planned to offer charter flights between the Dominican Republic to Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Argentina for and on behalf of tour operators. [7] Its first aircraft, an Airbus A320-200, was delivered on May 3, 2015. [8]

Rebrand

In early 2018, it was announced that the airline had transitioned from charter operations to scheduled ultra low-cost flights. The airline stated it had invested $60 million into its relaunch as an ultra-low-cost carrier. [9]

In September 2021, founder Victor Pacheco Mendez, along with the co-founder Mike Powell, announced it would rebrand the airline to Arajet and would operate as a low-cost carrier offering flights throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. [10] [11] [12]

The Junta de Aviación Civil (JAC) approved the request to amend the Certificate of Economic Authorization (CAE) number 25, issued to Arajet, to include 30 new routes and also authorizes the exploitation of regular and non-scheduled air transport services of passengers and cargo, in international operations, from the Dominican Republic to the United States, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Mexico, Panama, Aruba, France, Guatemala, Peru, Haiti, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago in November 2021 during its plenary session. [13]

The Instituto Dominicano de Aviacion Civil (IDAC), in collaboration with Dominican carrier Arajet, achieved the certification of two Dominican inspectors at Boeing's facilities to be able to inspect the operations of Boeing-type aircraft in December 2021. Pico Duarte was the company's first aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, named after the Caribbean's highest mountainous elevation and a nature reserves in the Dominican Republic, completed its painting process In February 2022. Registered HI-1026, arrived at Las Américas International Airport on March 3, 2022. [14] [15] [16]

On March 14, 2022, Arajet was officially launched, along with the President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader, who announced that the country was in the process of having a Dominican representative airline with a majority of Dominican capital. In the same event, Boeing announced an order of 20 Boeing 737 MAX 200 (with options for 15 more aircraft in the future) by the airline, becoming the first Caribbean operator of the type. [17] [18]

During the ceremony it was announced that Arajet S.A. is funded by one of the world's largest private multi-asset alternative investment firms, Bain Capital, as well as Griffin Global Asset Management ("Griffin"), a commercial aircraft leasing and alternative asset management company. [19] [20]

Destinations

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Served by Arajet
Intended to be served by Arajet Countries in which AraJet operates.svg
  Served by Arajet
  Intended to be served by Arajet

As of November 2024 the airline serves the following destinations: [23]

Destinations
Country / RegionCityAirportNotesRefs.
Argentina Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport [24]
Aruba Oranjestad Queen Beatrix International Airport
Brazil São Paulo São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport [25]
Canada Montreal Montréal–Trudeau International Airport [26]
Toronto Toronto Pearson International Airport [27]
Chile Santiago de Chile Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport [28]
Colombia Bogotá El Dorado International Airport [29]
Barranquilla Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport Terminated [30]
Cali Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport Terminated [30]
Cartagena Rafael Núñez International Airport
Medellín José María Córdova International Airport [31]
Costa Rica San José Juan Santamaría International Airport
Curaçao Willemstad Curaçao International Airport
Dominican Republic Punta Cana Punta Cana International Airport Hub [32]
Santiago de los Caballeros Cibao International Airport
Santo Domingo Las Américas International Airport Hub
Ecuador Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport [33]
Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport [33]
El Salvador San Salvador El Salvador International Airport
Guatemala Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport
Jamaica Kingston Norman Manley International Airport [31]
Mexico Mexico City Felipe Ángeles International Airport
Cancún Cancún International Airport
Monterrey Monterrey International Airport Terminated [34]
Peru Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport
Sint Maarten Philipsburg Princess Juliana International Airport

In addition to the stated destinations Arajet has plans to fly to:

In regards to flights to the United States and to Puerto Rico, in March 2023, the airline requested authorization to the US Department of Transportation to start operating scheduled passenger services to San Juan, Miami, and New York by fall 2023.

Fleet

Current fleet

As of August 2024, the Arajet fleet consists of the following aircraft: [40]

Arajet fleet
AircraftIn
service
OrdersPassengersNotes
FYTotal
Boeing 737 MAX 8 108177185 [41]
Boeing 737 MAX 200 20TBAOrder with 15 options. [42]
Total1020

Former fleet

As Dominican Wings, the company consisted of the following aircraft: [43]

Arajet former fleet
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
Airbus A320-200 120152017Leased from Avion Express

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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