Nationals from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Anguilla, can now travel directly between the two territories without going through the Juliana International Airport in Dutch St. Maarten.
This opportunity is being provided, once every two weeks, by the SAP Aviation Group following its inaugural flight to the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla on Thursday, March 9. The Jetstream 31/32 EP aircraft – 12.50 pm – flight will accommodate 19 passengers and will take one hour and fifty-five minutes.
The SAP, or Servicios Aereos Professionales Group, has its corporate headquarters at La Isabela International Airport in Santo Domingo. The airline, founded in 1981, has a fleet of 17 planes and operates in several Caribbean islands.
The scheduled air service was welcomed by Anguilla’s Chief Minister and Minister to Tourism, Mr. Victor Banks: “I would like to congratulate, f
irst of all, Mrs. Rose Hodge [of Anguilla Air Express] and Mr. Garcia from the SAP Group in the Dominican Republic, for providing this inaugural service to Anguilla,” he said. “More than a hundred years ago, Anguillians travelled to the Dominican Republic to seek employment. A hundred years later, we are here where persons from the Dominican Republic are coming on occasions to seek employment. But, in addition, because they have family connections with Anguilla – their grandparents and, in some cases, their parents are from Anguilla. So that connection has been made over the last hundred years and we are happy to know it continues to exist.
“This project, today, is an opportunity for us to solidify that relationship by providing a reliable service between Anguilla and Santo Domingo. Nowadays it is becoming increasingly difficult to travel between our several countries mainly because of the new restrictions in immigration, as well as new restrictions in commerce. In [earlier years] we used to travel by boat. Now we want to travel by plane, and it is important that we make that connection as convenient as possible – not only for persons from the Dominican Republic but also for persons from Anguilla.”
Mr. Banks added that “it is important that, as a people in this region, we find ways and means to meet up with each other, share our experiences and exchange ideas about our development.” He thought this was particularly 
of much importance in terms of tourism development and education.
Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mr. Cardigan Connor, said the air service being provided by the SAP Group was another opportunity to attract more people to Anguilla. “There have been a number of challenges for our brothers and sisters from Santo Domingo getting to and from Anguilla, mainly in St. Maarten…and as a result of this service, life becomes a lot easier to move between the islands,” he stated.
He added that many persons in Anguilla and in Santo Domingo had relatives in both islands, and rather than nationals from Santo Dominica coming to Anguilla by boat, it was now easier to travel by plane.
Chairman of the Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority Board, Mr. Marcel Fahie, was pleased and surprised that the arrangement for the air service to Anguilla had taken place shortly after casually discussing it with Mrs. Rose Hodge. He was grateful to her and others, including the officials of SAP Airlines and Mr. Joseph Rogers, Port Manager, at Blowing Point, who had worked so quietly and hard to get the airline’s service to Anguilla.
SAP Airlines representative, Mr. Jose Garcia Jr., and Mr. Jose Andre Car, President of the Spanish Committee in Anguilla, joined in expressing pleasure over the new air service between Santo Domingo and Anguilla. 
Mrs. Rose Hodge was delighted with the partnership between her company, Anguilla Air Express, and SAP Aviation Group as well as the cooperation of the Port Authority.
