Flycana Hopes to Get Fleet Up in the Air by the End of 2020

Flycana, the Dominican Republic based start-up, is aiming to launch operations before the end of 2020 and has ambitions to grow its network quickly to encompass numerous destinations in the America and the Caribbean.

According to the CAPA (Center for Aviation) website, the airline envisages serving the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market, with North American routes making up just under half of its network.

Flycana is working to secure the necessary start-up funding in the coming weeks, and although the company believes there is an opportunity for a low cost operator in the region, its management is also not blind to the challenges that a start-up airline in the Caribbean faces.

Flycana is working to secure necessary start-up funding in the coming weeks to support a targeted launch by the end of 2020. The airline is aiming to build up a network of 45 destinations by its fifth year of operations.

The startup acquired the aircraft operator's certificate of Dominican Wings two years ago and after a CEO change early in 2019, the airline has emerged with a network strategy and seems close to securing the necessary funding for launch.

The airline plans to inaugurate operations with seven aircraft, either current Airbus A320 models or Boeing 737 next generation jets, with the fleet growing to up to 32 aircraft by its fifth year of operations.

Flycana will be based in Santo Domingo and operate to 23 destinations with its initial fleet of seven aircraft, increasing its destinations served to 45 by the company’s fifth anniversary.

Flycana’s targeted passenger segment is visiting friends and relatives (VFR), and Mr Jacobsen said that there is an opportunity to stimulate passengers in that segment. The airline had calculated that there are 2.5 million Dominicans living in the US – but only 900,000 are travelling by air.