Santiago Municipal Airport
Encyclopedia
Santiago Municipal Airport was a both passenger and military airport located in the Center of Santiago de los Caballeros
, Dominican Republic
. This airport served this city with daily flights to San Juan
in Puerto Rico
, Port-au-Prince
in Haiti
, Santiago de Cuba
, Miami and so many domestics destinations in the country. It was the major Hub of Dominair
, who had based two Dash 8 here.
It also used as a secondary hub by the FAD
.
The operations were focused to the passenger movements between San Juan and Santiago, and also the cargo operations to San Juan, Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince.
Before ceasing operations, Dominicana de Aviación
became the first airline to connect Santiago with the United States, starting operations between Santiago and Miami, in McDonnell Douglas DC-6
Aircraft in the 1970's.
In the 1990s, another Dominican airline, Dominair
, started operations in the airport, with two daily flights to San Juan. They added flights to Port-au-Prince three years later.
In 1998 the airport had the biggest expansion ever. They enlarged the runway to support operation of the American Eagle's ATR aircraft. The airport reminded closed for at least eight months.
In 1999 American Eagle
started, for the first time, operations in Santiago, adding two daily flights to San Juan, making Dominair to leave the route.
In 2002 the airport closed its doors to the public due to the inauguration of a bigger airport, Cibao International Airport
, located 15 minutes away from the city center. This new airport allowed jet-passenger aircraft operations and could receive flights from New York, Miami and San Juan, which Santiago Municipal Airport could not handle.
On March 18, 2002, the two American Eagle
's flights to San Juan were transferred to the new Cibao International Airport, ceasing definitively passenger operations in Santiago Municipal Airport. A Year later the Santiago Air Base became unnecessary for the FAD, an a cost that they could not handle by them selves, so they moved all operations to the Puerto Plata Air Base (Located in Gregorio Luperon International Airport
). Santiago Municipal was now completely closed, with no operations at all.
Santiago Municipal Airport is now known as Cibao Center National Police, north command of operations for the National Police.
. They had at least 30% of their operations in this airport. They also had their own ramp and terminal, located behind the hangars of the Civil Aviation, next to the control tower.
All the military operations to the northwest of the country were originated from Santiago Municipal, who also sometimes was called Santiago Air Base, referring to the Military Terminal.
While the old military side of the airport is now used for the National Police, the old passenger terminal side is now used as a racetrack.
Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. This airport served this city with daily flights to San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, Miami and so many domestics destinations in the country. It was the major Hub of Dominair
Dominair
Dominair was a passenger airline based in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, that had offered flights to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, until 2007. Before that it was a popular airline with regular flights from Santiago de los Caballeros to San Juan, Puerto Rico, using two de Havilland Canada...
, who had based two Dash 8 here.
It also used as a secondary hub by the FAD
Dominican Air Force
The Air Force of the Dominican Republic or Fuerza Aérea Dominicana, is one of the three branches of the Military of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy.- History :...
.
History
This Airport was built in the 1930s, during Trujillo's government, with the major propose to stimulate the city's growth.The operations were focused to the passenger movements between San Juan and Santiago, and also the cargo operations to San Juan, Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince.
Before ceasing operations, Dominicana de Aviación
Dominicana de Aviación
Compañía Dominicana de Aviación, usually shortened to Dominicana, was an airline from the Dominican Republic, serving as flag carrier of the country.-History:...
became the first airline to connect Santiago with the United States, starting operations between Santiago and Miami, in McDonnell Douglas DC-6
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
Aircraft in the 1970's.
Dominair
Dominair was a passenger airline based in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, that had offered flights to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, until 2007. Before that it was a popular airline with regular flights from Santiago de los Caballeros to San Juan, Puerto Rico, using two de Havilland Canada...
, started operations in the airport, with two daily flights to San Juan. They added flights to Port-au-Prince three years later.
In 1998 the airport had the biggest expansion ever. They enlarged the runway to support operation of the American Eagle's ATR aircraft. The airport reminded closed for at least eight months.
In 1999 American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
started, for the first time, operations in Santiago, adding two daily flights to San Juan, making Dominair to leave the route.
In 2002 the airport closed its doors to the public due to the inauguration of a bigger airport, Cibao International Airport
Cibao International Airport
Cibao International Airport also known as Santiago Airport, is located in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic's second largest city. It's the country's third busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements....
, located 15 minutes away from the city center. This new airport allowed jet-passenger aircraft operations and could receive flights from New York, Miami and San Juan, which Santiago Municipal Airport could not handle.
On March 18, 2002, the two American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
's flights to San Juan were transferred to the new Cibao International Airport, ceasing definitively passenger operations in Santiago Municipal Airport. A Year later the Santiago Air Base became unnecessary for the FAD, an a cost that they could not handle by them selves, so they moved all operations to the Puerto Plata Air Base (Located in Gregorio Luperon International Airport
Gregorio Luperón International Airport
- Cargo carriers :- External links :*...
). Santiago Municipal was now completely closed, with no operations at all.
Santiago Municipal Airport is now known as Cibao Center National Police, north command of operations for the National Police.
Former airlines and destinations
- American AirlinesAmerican Eagle AirlinesAmerican Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
- American EagleAmerican Eagle AirlinesAmerican Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
(San Juan)
- American Eagle
- Dominicana de AviaciónDominicana de AviaciónCompañía Dominicana de Aviación, usually shortened to Dominicana, was an airline from the Dominican Republic, serving as flag carrier of the country.-History:...
(Miami, Santo Domingo) - DominairDominairDominair was a passenger airline based in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, that had offered flights to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, until 2007. Before that it was a popular airline with regular flights from Santiago de los Caballeros to San Juan, Puerto Rico, using two de Havilland Canada...
(Port-au-Prince, San Juan, Santo Domingo)
Dominican Air Force Operations
Santiago Municipal Airport was the secondary hub for the Dominican Air ForceDominican Air Force
The Air Force of the Dominican Republic or Fuerza Aérea Dominicana, is one of the three branches of the Military of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy.- History :...
. They had at least 30% of their operations in this airport. They also had their own ramp and terminal, located behind the hangars of the Civil Aviation, next to the control tower.
All the military operations to the northwest of the country were originated from Santiago Municipal, who also sometimes was called Santiago Air Base, referring to the Military Terminal.
Post-closure
The Central Park of Santiago is projected to be constructed on the land of the now defunct old Santiago Municipal Airport that now lodges the regional seat of the National Police and the offices of the Association for Development. The industrialists of Santiago have defended the project since it is considered to be a solution to the lack of green spaces suitable for relaxation in the city. Nevertheless it has been argued that the granting of contracts for the different phases from this project violate the frame of transparency and legality. In the Strategic Plan of Santiago it is indicated that the construction of the Metropolitan Park would increase the Santiagos green area from its currently 1.1% to 4%While the old military side of the airport is now used for the National Police, the old passenger terminal side is now used as a racetrack.