The company Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), which manages the air stations belonging to the Dominican state, announced the temporary closure of the General Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP) of Puerto Plata.
The measure is due to repair and modernization works to be carried out on the only runway of the airport, of orientation 08/26 and 3,081 meters long. Operations will remain suspended between May 9 and 20. The work period was chosen after analyzing the annual traffic flow, with the objective of generating the least possible impact on operations.
According to Aerodom, the work will involve an investment of more than US$4.5 million. The work will seek to extend the useful life of the runway, improve operating conditions and correct the leveling of the central section. Once completed, the airport will be able to receive any wide-body aircraft without any type of restriction and with greater safety.
The airport is the fourth in the country in terms of passenger traffic and aircraft movements, behind the terminals of Punta Cana (PUJ), Santo Domingo-Las Américas (SQD) and Cibao (STI). It functions as an important receptive center for the tourism industry, one of the main economic activities of the Dominican Republic.
However, the airport concessionaire assured that the closure will not affect the flow of visitors to the country. Aerodom explained that some forty international commercial flights have already been rescheduled and will arrive at other terminals.
According to information provided by Vinci Airports, the French airport development and operation company of which Aerodom is a part, 862,000 passengers were mobilized at the Puerto Plata airport during 2019, in 6,205 movements to and from 37 destinations.
The airport is served by U.S., Canadian, and European airlines. The main markets served are Toronto, Miami and Montreal. It also has an important passenger flow with Düsseldorf, Moscow and Brussels, among other European cities.
