Visitors traveling to Dominica via Puerto Rico will soon have another choice after regional airline, LIAT, announced the commencement of non-stop San Juan/Dominica and Dominica/San Juan flights.
The new service is expected to begin on April 4, 2013.
According to the airline LI 560 is scheduled to depart Dominica at 10:00 am daily; arriving San Juan at 11:55 am; while LI 565 is scheduled to depart San Juan at 3:00 pm daily for arrival into Dominica at 4:45 pm.
The airline said the new routes shows its commitment to the traveling public of Dominica and the wider region.
These flights operate at an opportune time for passengers making connections via Puerto Rico, to travel to and from Dominica seamlessly, LIAT said.
Recently, St. Croix-based Seaborne Airline announced it will be operating non stop flights from San Juan to Dominica.
The service begins on April 1, 2013.
Last year American Eagle said that it would suspending flights in 2013 from San Juan to a number Caribbean destinations, including Dominica, as it attempts to shave US$75-million per year in labor costs.
LIAT also announced a series of new routes on its LI 500 and LI 501 service effective April 4, 2013.
They are as follow:
-LI 500 departing Antigua at 11:00 am and arriving St. Maarten at 11:40 am
-LI 500 departing St. Maarten at 12:00 noon and arriving Santo Domingo at 1:30 pm
-LI 501 departing Santo Domingo at 2:30 pm and arriving St. Maarten at 4:00 pm
-LI 501 departing St. Maarten at 4:30 pm and arriving Antigua at 5:00 pm
With this new routing, LIAT now offers a non-stop service between St. Maarten and the Dominican Republic.
It also offers the opportunity for passengers travelling from the BVI to make a seamless connection to the Dominican Republic via St. Maarten.
LIAT also recently began non-stop services between St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
With Liat reputation of always being late you stand a 95 percent chance of missing your connecting flight in San Juan the competition is great they need to improve.
Thank you toall involved.Good Move..Now justmake sure they keep the price down..
With all the comments that I have read no one has said thank you Lord for a solution too our travel needs, we have too try and appreciate what we have until we can do better in the longer run.
I really do not understand what we need to be thankful for. The Government of Dominica recently invested millions of dollars into LIAT because of their financial difficulty. This is simply a partial return on that investment and cold-blooded business decision by a business entity.
I hope they don’t sell Liat to Domlec…lol lol..
Now, lets see if we can make sense of this.
The Dominica Government has Pumped (or at least promised to)millions into liat to keep it afloat.
they have also agreed to pay Seaborne the cost of any empty seats to St. Marteen. So, that means helping seaborne to -as we now see- compete with Liat that we have invested in. Could someone clear this madness for me?
hahahaha…Yes jah, iLuvmyIsland.
Hello, my fellow Dominicans …
PLEASE be informed. This LIAT announcement is simply what we call here in the USA, “Vulture Capitalism”. AA made their announcement last year about cancelling the San Juan-D.A route. LIAT was aware of that BEFORE the announcement was made publicly. They waited for re-action from their competitors before they made their move.
LIAT’s strategy was to wait until everyone else disclosed their plans to fill the gap that American Eaqle was vacating, then they swoop in like VULTURES to submit a counter-attack that would undermine their competitors.
When LIAT eventually forces every other airline to abandon the San Juan-D.A. route, they will then have a monopoly in that market, and they will then be able to charge ridiculously higher rates, because they know that it is primarily Dominicans from the US, who they think can afford it, will be flying that route.
I am a ex-pat Dominican who has resided in the US for more than 30 years. I do not apologize for that decision, and it doesn’t mean that I don’t love my Country. So please save your misplaced comments about that, because it makes no difference to me what anyone says on that topic.
I have chosen to live here because I make lots of money that I could never have made, had I stayed in D.A. I got a College education that is not available in D.A. My children have advantages here that they wouldn’t, if I’d stayed home.
Then again, those of you who fly to B’dos every day looking for that elusive US Visa will agree with me.
I most definitely send money back home to help family and friends, but I don’t have to announce it on DBS, Q95, the Chronicle, or anywhere else. Those who know . . . just know.
My point is: my people, don’t be fooled by those you ASSUME are smarter, wiser than you! You are DOMINICAN! That means that you are Blessed with wisdom from God himself! Show the World who we are! Do something! Make some noise! Wake up! Stop taking CRAP and NONSENSE from those who you allow to walk over you! Take a stand! Demand representation from those you elected to represent you! We do not need COWARDS in our government! Enough is ENOUGH!
Remember those great words from our great ones who came before us …
“TOGETHER WE STAND – DIVIDED WE FALL”!
Love, my people!
Then they make your luggage stay
back!
Dear teacher, I am afraid your statement is not correct.
It is a long time everybody knows AE would stop their service, and Seaborne would take over.
Seaborne flight is not so convenient as it leaves SJU too early for most connections except JFK and MIA.
LIAT’s decision comes from a strong pressure from DOminica’s tourism officials asking them to fly that route direct. LIAT knew of the April 1st deadline and announced their decision just in time.
All the rest is bla bla .
We should all be thankful to LIAT for taking this risky decision for the benefit of US travelers to and from Dominica.
As far as tickets prices are concerned, you might want to look at the taxes before blaming LIAT or others.
How long must the Dominican traveler endure this madness? The bottom line is this: American Eagle accounted for 33% of travelers flying in and out of Dominica. That is a significant percentage of any business.
Based on your logic, we should be gratful for lost bags, poor service and a price tag of:US$500.00 to visit Dominica. I think not.
liat left my gag in dominica in febuary and they till cant find my bag im going to avoide travleing on liat as much as i can worst service ever
In LIAT I have no confidence…sorry to be pessimistic but it’s true. AA aint routing DA no more, but even before that I was taking the ferry to SLU, or even LIAT itself, then JetBlue from SLU straight flight to the States. And it was still cheaper than AA from DA to the States, with no overnight connections. So guess what LIAT? U have competition in ur tail!
Dominicans boycott liat. They have competition now so they trying to act like they care. They had plenty of time to give us a direct flight from SJU to DOM, instead of making ppl go all around the caribbean. Boycott that flight dey to kopawaizon!
Too late liat. I already booked my flight with seaborne. $338 round trip from San Juan to Dominica. Thanks Seaborne!
At what cost???????
I going to vote that pm ok uwp , he working is progress I wanted in Dominica and I am seeing a lof things is happening.so that a vote all u lost , thanks you my pm I am on ur boat now ok keep up the good work…
When Jetblue start going to Dominica i will celebrate. When you celebrate liat going to DA that tells me you haven’t traveled on liat. Liat cancels flights,delays flights,loose your luggage and when you go to the counter to ask a question they are more upset than you if you can find someone at the counter. For those of you that is happy liat is our best choice, congrats i won’t rain on your parade.
all airlines loss bags, cancel flights.. stop complaining . are you a frequent flier?
Thats really good news! Now we just have to fill those seats so we stop being a welfare state.
I am sick and tired of being the loser child in the family always depending on my more successful siblings to bail me out all the time.
lets see how long it last,we dominicans always settle for less rather strive for bigger.shame 21st century and we happy for connection flights rather than a international airport .crying shame,as you see only the folks in the states happy,what about those in the wide world.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm so that means those of us going to da from ny could sleep later ,because to go to da we had to take the 6am flight.
if they leave 30-50 minutes after the Seaborn flight they will make money. even with their issues. If they leave before Seaborne, then its a no hope flight. Seaborne is taking over the stupid AEagle time slot so people are still hampered by missing the DOM connection, it leaves 30 mins too soon. Our problems are not solved, despite the masses claiming seaborne is doing something positive.. LIAT leaving an hour after Seaboren will offer the passenger a chance to make the connection in one day. No one wants to spend 2 days out of 7 in transit in SJU.This inability to move the Eagle flight by 30-40 mins has had us over a barrel for too long.
competition brings change… clockwork
Hello my people and good afternoon . Well I am very glad that Liat will be taking over this route and the departure time is very good. Now I hope Liat will have some type of agreement with American Airline to automatically transfer our luggage. I also hope that we will be able to make one ticket purchase for both airlines and Liat will have the same luggage procedures as American Eagle a specially the weight of fifty pounds for check luggage.
No luggage transfer because seaborne has the rights for the dominica route already…
John.
Thanks for that information but you capture what is wrong with Dominica when dealing with business . One person have a contract for this or that and if you want to open a business then you must also do business with who ever have that route or who imports this or that. Those kind of nonsense sole contracts are preventing middle class people like me from opening a business in DA.
LIAT better, Seaborne Airline is already offering that package. LIAT should also make good on its airfare because Seaborne is ready, willing, and waiting.
i just hope its not going to cost more than a ticket from ny to st juan.(then i will just have to wait to go to dominica every five years when the pm is iving free ticket to go down to vote)
Shame if you are in the Country of dreams and can’t afford over priced tickets…
i buy my own ticket my dear .i just said that just to sacastic .
There will be no space for you Mr.Political Sacastic.You may just be a wolf in sheep clothing.
That’s laughable considering much of the cost is found in landing fees and taxes to pay for the glorious international airports we love so much. And if ever Dominica gets one then you will see airfares shoot through to Mars.
We need to understand economics and learn cause and effect.
you just sound so backward.
Didn’t know the PM was giving FREE tickets to go home. I would definitely jump to the occassion. Thanks for the heads up.
that wat our pm does every five year for election
lol.i go home every year.but as the saying goes.
i still fell better flying on liat than on that pipirit that will be commencing service on april 1st
i agree with alu but i hope the price not high because i traveling and is on u so just come good
Whatever they give us, we will take it. IS so we come. Anyway, one Question LIAT, when traveling from the USA, do we still have to pay another set of baggage fees, and will the luggage stay back somewhere until we gripe and complain about it, or do you have that covered with the other airlines.
Eight(8)MILLION dollars could not be wrong…
That sounnds great;but hope LIAT also made the change to be PUNCTUAL..One of LIAT biggest problem is,LIAT always LATE…causing one to loose connecting flights…DOM-SAN JUAN-JFK/NEWARK.
You see de same thing? All time we there paying ho consa lazan to AA for a direct flight LIAT not doing anything, but now another airline “might” just be cheaper for the direct flight they wanna come in and have direct flight too to try to cooley the other airline. One day allu plane wings will stop beat, LIAT. Doh worry.
Election in de air. Voters from the USA flying direct from Puerto Rico to Dominica to vote and return to the USA, on the same day.
Elections just around the corner!
Why are we so quick to judge in this country? In January I traveled from the US back home for work and AE left me down because they were over-sold (when they take your money and sell more seats than they have for passengers) and told me they only had space for me in two days time to return to D/ca. I went across to LIAT and had to purchase a ticket their and the supervisor there indicated that they were working on putting this direct flight to D/ca so next time I should use their service. Well THANK GOD for LIAT that I could get home in time for work instead of depending on AE.
The only people I feel sorry for at AE are the workers at Marigot because not all will be re-employed with Seaborne or LIAT.
If I were SeaBorne, I would do LATE departure form SJU. Since they are code share with American, they could get all the late arrivals at SJU into Dominica.
SeaBorne will will be overnighting in DA, so why not have a late fly come in, with a connection in SXM…
IPO has good ideas man???
Ok Skerro… atlast we know what your money to LIAT buy for us… Lest see how long it will last?
Actually you mean Our money.
So now, at the last moment LIAT coming with spoiling tactics? I welcome competition but I will watch if LIAT will undercut Seaborn till they decide to pull out and withdraw, giving LIAT a monopoly on this route and adjust their prices upward accordingly. Do LIAT have an interlining agreement with other airlines operating out of SJU, will they be operating under IATA rules and regulations? Why didn’t they see this “opportunity” till well after Seaborn made their arrangements? Seaborn have my sympahties if they feel they have been used.
Good there is a solution but prefer deal with any airline from the US.
Hello. Why can’t we support our Caribbean base airline. Please remember that American Airlines don’t invest any of their profit in the Caribbean . All over America you have America Airlines building stadiums and putting their name on them. Do you see any such investment anywhere in the Caribbean so let us support our own.
Please
This is only seaborne is scheduled to have straight flights to Dominica. all the time Liat treating the people that fly them the most like crap. now alone you all can do straight flight. For years we Dominicans saying have straight flight to DA.I will fly seaborne all the same. No Thanks Liat.
oh please. you first going to be on that LIAT flight. steups bout you flying. however, let me show you how short sighted and idiotic you and those that think as foolishly as you do are. (1) Seaborne has no real history with us, so purely from an emotional standpoint (which is where it seems you operate from) it makes no sense to be loyal to those that you don’t know. you behaving like a scorned lover. (2) our Government, and by extension, our country invested money in LIAT. OUR taxpayers’ money. Isn’t it economically sensible to support our investment? its our money. but know let’s take our money and put it in another airline whose owners have no vested interest in us? next time, use what little brain cells you have remaining to think this through instead of pooling in ingorance along with the 14 other misguided emotional souls that actually gave you a thumbs up for this bile.
Long awaited news now I don’t have to wonder about how I was going to get to d a.
Just wonder if Liat’s service in Dominica will Ever improve that’s been so terrible..
Seems they lack a good team in Dominica..
The Management in Dominica seems outdated with Modern Service standards!
I think it’s just a matter of time before a American Owned Carrier comes to fill the Eagle Spot.
Liat does not have interline agreements as before
That will hurt we US domestic travellers,when it Comes to Baggage etc..
Who knows maybe Jet Blue will get the equipment Needed for routes like Dominica..
As liat’s present structure can’t support the Ross School…
Will liat have the resources to chatter planes to Get bags ontime like what Eagle does?
There are many factors which need to be looked Into…time will tell..
I just booked a flight from Toronto to Trinidad leaving in May for $359. LIAT’s fare of about $500 US from SJU to DOM is a killer. They have to look at their fares.
They will …. UP. Once Seaborne killed watch it all go to crap again.
Anyway … Why not Miami to DA?
San Juan is a big visa immigration shed like Ellis Island was.
Still … I guess we have to say that anthing we get is a Godsend since we so low down on everyones priorities.
it is actually the taxes. I tried to visit st Lucia from Dominica on my visit home, and could not believe how expensive it cost to go from st Lucia to Barbados. Needless to say, I travelled directly to Barbados from Dominica. have a look at the taxes imposed by other islands, they are more than the ones in Dominica.
you cannot compare going to Trinidad with DA. Second of all. You have many options from NY to San Juan. Jet blue, delta and so forth. Why are you guys complaining so much. come one!!!!!stupsssss
Liat is not solely to be blamed for the high fares. Ever looked at the breakdown of the fares to see how much goes into the coffers of various governments. Fares are highly taxed because its an easy way for the governments to generate revenue.
this is how you make your $3M investment start to talk for you.
Air access to Dominica is one of the most challenging development issues facing us today.
But even if we have more flights coming in Da, tourists of today are more keen to save a buck than before, so the price could still affect our shores.
Whatever we still have to pull our heavy suitcases in san juan again and they going to charge us for our hand luggage being over 15 lbs… Sorry but unless there is a connection like Seaborne has with AA, I wont be travelling with y’all. Start negotiating with a larger airline Liat. Jet Blue is awesome, I would be happy to travel with you all if you address this issue.
Good move LIAT.
Tooooo late liat.
Liat already flew to DA from San Juan with some inconvenience of a stop over in Antigua. Granted we have more direct connections but still smaller planes flying in to DA now. The price is still an issue. It costs $200-$300 from east coast US cities flying a longer route into San Juan (many east coast cities average 1500 miles to San Juan) but it costs twice as much (up to $500) flying from San Juan to Dominica (400 miles). Shame!
Dude you doh know what a direct flight mean? Ki diab “inconvenience of a stop over in Antigua” you talking about? We want to bachey in San Juan and deybachey in Dominica!! SMH
we lost one option, no we got two. Liat and SeaBorne.
It is true when one door closes, more will open. 64 seats daily to now 2*34 =68. four extra seats (lol) and 2 different flight times.
Thank you.
Good enough if that is what we can get, elas!!
How about the cost, is that pleasing
nothing we can do about the cost now. at least we have options. with the competition, we will be surprise to see what this may bring. Remember when we only had cables? Now we have Digicel and Lime, look at prices?
Lets just look back and see how this unfolds.
I don’t mind being the advocate for Seaborne Airlines, after all the rubbish that LIAT has put us through.
http://www.seaborneairlines.com
Longer flight, but save urself $$$ my people, check out the round trip fees. LIAT is more expensive by HUNDREDS of US$. Ppl working too damn hard for their money to waste it. Spend wisely!
Good news,I already adjust my mind for Liat for their inconvenience service it will not effect my mind,I hope their ticket wont be as high like American Eagle.
I believe LIAT did this as a result of Seaborne taking over the AE route, but in the end competition is always good for the customer. Looking forward to it.
Give them time, once Seaborne leaves, they will discontinue the route and prices will go up again.
Good move! Dominica here I come! Anytime all you see ah lady wit a big mamma straw hat wid a bat in she hand daybarchaying like she doh wan fall know it’s tanty ah yard…straight to de Windsdor Par.k Stadium …
Shaneoh…Tanty coming for she autograph…..
My lady, you truly made my day.
LOL
I am so happy because I will be traveling in july to dominica.
thumbs up soooooo..happy for that.
thank god my prayers been answered no more antigua,thanks pm.
SO LIAT HAD TO WAIT ON SEABORNE TO DECIDE ON THIS ROUTE…ANYHOW, WELCOME….COMPETITION IS ALWAYS HEALTHY
competion liat you all are stepping up great news,just make sure the flights leave on time.
i am happy with liat decision but why after seaborn announce that it will be serving sju to dom liat just pop up with that huh fishy but am happy go liat. and please try to leave sju ontime
What is so fishy about that? LIAT announced sometime last year that it was buying new aircraft and going for new routes.
The new planes are being delivered this year, so naturally the new routes will come into play..
I don’t see anything fishy about that. Look more like coincidence to me.
The new planes have been purchased (ATR 42 only) and leased(ATR72) to primarily replace an ageing Dash-8 fleet.I can see LIAT using the smaller 42 version on the SJU-DOM route and keep the larger 72 for more densely travelled routes like Antigua- Santo Domingo for example. Let’s pray they are not leaving luggage behind in SJU because of limited load capacity. That would be a real nightmare.
It is well and good that LIAT wil be travelling or rather flying direct flight from Purto Rico to Dominica and vise versa. My question and concern is that whether we, who will be travelling from New York or any other American port to Dominica via Puerto Rico, will our luggage be going directly from lets say American Airline to LIAT or do we have to go and collect our luggage at baggage claim and recheck our luggage with LIAT in order to make the flight to Dominica and New York vise versa. Seabourne I understood is in negotioations with American Airlines to have the luggage go directly from plane to plane to avoid the inconvenience of rechecking your luggage. Could DNO investigate and inform the readers about that. I would really like to know. I know in Barbados you have to recheck your luggage to get on LIAT to continue your flight after you have made it to Barbados on an American flight that not continueing to Dominica.
You will have to claim and recheck. They do not yet have a code share agreement.
there is no interline arrangement with American so you will have to check your bags yourself
This is one of the best concern or commentI have heard so far regarding our travels too and from San Juan to Dominica leaving from NY, MIA, TX etc.
Thanks Liat, that’s really great news. Worth at least $8million
How do you spell relief – L-I-A-T!!
That will definitely help make the travelling experience less of a hassle for those D/cans and tourists living in N. America!
I believe the departure time from SJ is great. It gives sufficient time to make the connection with the intransit pasengers traveling from N. America.
The Eagle departure time of 12:10 was much too early for the intransit passengers from N. America.
From the east coast, yes. But from the west coast of N. America you will still have to overnight in San Juan. 98% of flights get to San Juan after 6:00pm. Those that have an earlier arrival time in SJ, the duration of flight is in the region of 9 – 10 hours. With the 3 hour time difference there is usually a day overlap between departure and final destination arrival.
LAX to SJU is $500. add Liat SJU to DOM another $450 + overnight expenses in San Juan $200. Results in a minimum of $1,150 just in travel expenses. For a family of 3 that gets to be a nice chunk of change. Also AA used to pay for hotel and a meal if they were late getting into San Juan. Would LIAT do the same if they were late from DA? You know how mother nature loves the Nature Isle.
Now add the aggravation from LIAT with extreme lack of customer service, callous disregard for customer’s needs; don’t talk about baggage problems……is now we really stick! AWA WI MET! I will have to vacation in Toronto and watch de commess on DNO. Caribana here we come!
U wanna quote fees? Go to http://www.seaborneairlines.com
LIAT too damn wicked…it had to take AE to pull out n competition in their tail for them to route PR? Ridiculous!
UWPui, IN YOUR FACE!!!!!!!!
Way to go Liat, the hell with AE, their employees treated me as though I was a terrorist a few weeks ago at Melville hall airport
I agree. Good Riddance AE!!
These Spanish Gals went out of their way to be rude to D/cans.
I do and so do a lot of other travellers -they have always most helpful -its probably just your attitude” sweetheart”.
I have been traveling on AE for 12years from San Juan to Dominica round trip, I never had that bad experience with AE And I am a Dominican just like you are incase you are a Dominican,They will treat you accordinally how you conduct yourself or your appearance.Only problem I have with AE their tickets is high,When AE land Dominica the flight attendent also announces welcome to beautiful Dominica it makes me proud.
Sweetheart, that’s because you don’t understand Spanish!!
I,the traveller, is the one paying their salaries and i expect to be treated as such!!
Nice
Thank you!
I had anticipated that, although the announcement comes a little late…Always good to have options.
Let me be the first to say Whoo Hoo….Finally!!
not too soon!!!!!