TWA

I just read where TWA has announced on November 1, 1999 it will begin flights from several US gateway cities to San Juan and it will also have 3 flights from San Juan to Santo Domingo and return every day. I am not a travel agent but do try and keep up with the flights in and out of the DR. American has had a monopoly for far too long. This sounds like good news to me.

TWA ANNOUNCES MAJOR SCHEDULE UPGRADE IN SAN JUAN ˜Airline will add or increase daily service to eight destinations on November 1st˜

ST. LOUIS, June 17, 1999 - Trans World Airlines, Inc., (AMEX:TWA) today announced a major upgrade in service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On November 1st, 1999, TWA will add 12 daily flights in and out of San Juan, bringing the total number of daily flights to 15 and increasing TWA service in the market by 400 percent year-over-year.

“We’re excited about TWA’s first “focus city,” said Bill Compton, TWA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “A focus city is a location where we will expand service to a number of destinations other than our hubs. The schedule in the focus city is designed to complement our hub flights and provide options in cities that are currently underserved.” The new focus city will provide daily non-stop service from San Juan to five new destinations - Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Santo Domingo, and Aruba. TWA will increase non-stop service from its St. Louis hub, New York (JFK), and Boston. TWA has also filed for route authority to add flights to and from Caracas, Venezuela. TWA is also pursuing plans for a regional feed operation to begin service this November.

“We graciously welcome TWA’s commitment to this region,” said Puerto Rico’s governor, Pedro Roselló. “We also welcome the airline’s resolution to work in partnership with our administration to make Puerto Rico one of the leading travel destinations in the Americas.” “TWA is proud to partner with the government of Puerto Rico in providing air service to San Juan,” said Don Casey, TWA’s executive vice president of marketing. “Planning this new focus city has been a tremendous effort, and Governor Roselló and the people of Puerto Rico have made us feel excited to call San Juan TWA’s new home away from home.”

TWA will operate Boeing 757 and MD-80 aircraft in San Juan, bringing new, state-of-art aircraft with 60% more seats in TWA’s expanded first class to the region.

The airline will also be moving operations to three gates in the recently constructed C Concourse at the San Juan Luis Munoz Marin Airport. TWA also plans construction of a new Ambassadors Club on the C Concourse.

“This is great news for leisure and business travelers interested in flying to the Caribbean,” Don Casey said. “TWA is excited to build competition in the San Juan market. In November passengers will have a greater choice in air travel out of San Juan - and we’re sure they’ll choose TWA.”

San Juan Focus City Schedule Non-Stop MarketService Level Aircraft

Type New York (JFK) 5 Daily Flights 757 Santo Domingo 3 Daily Flights (Peak) MD-80 Boston 2 Daily Flights MD-80 St. Louis 1 Daily Flight 757 Los Angeles 1 Daily Flight 757 Fort Lauderdale 1 Daily Flight MD-80 Orlando 1 Daily Flight MD-80 Aruba 1 Daily Flight MD-80

The article you refer to is exactly what I read but it also continues later on to say "TWA said it will operate three daily flights between Santo Domigo and San Juan during peak season and one each on the other four new routes. This is excellent news. Now if we can just get more carriers into Puerto Plata.