01-September 2022
MIAMI (MIA) - SANTO DOMINGO (SDQ)
Y2 431
Departure 05:30
Arrival 08:10
Aircraft : Airbus A321-200 AVION EXPRESS 9H-AME
When looking for our connecting flight via Miami to the Dominican Republic, an unknown airline showed up as a result on Skyscanner. The company is called Air Century. As the timings were convenient we chose this little unknown airline for our holiday.
The check-in was a bit difficult to find but eventually we found a massive queue of Venezuelans, apparently this flight continues onward to Venezuela making a stop in Santo Domingo.
After about 1 hour we reached the check-in desks. In the meantime we also got to hear Miami airports fire alarm for 20 minutes.
While our ticket said departure was at 05:45, the screens and boarding passes showed 05:30. Interesting enough the Security control for the E gates only opens at 04:30 and then all 200 passengers need to go through at the same time, thus another 1 hour queue.
Eventually we did make it to the gate and after surrendering our hand luggage due to the lack of space in the overhead bins we were miraculously on time and on our way to... Venezuela it seemed to us.
Our plane on the gate at Miami, basic Thomas Cook colors, it has "Samana" titles on the front but not visible due to the air bridge.
Our aircraft was 9H-AME, delivered in 2004 to Monarch and ended up at Thomas Cook UK before Avion Express which was quite clearly visible from the paintjob and the cabin.
All aircrafts from Skycana feature a city/area in the Dominican Republic such as Samana, Punta Cana, Santo Domingo,...
All Skycana flights are operated by Avion Express aircrafts, an airline from Lithuania with aircrafts registered in Malta. They thus comply with the European safety regulations.
As said miraculously on time departure to Santo Domingo on a 80% full A321.
We received a snack and drink for free.
On descend to Santo Domingo we were 20 minutes in a holding pattern for an unknown reason before landing on runway 35.
Would I recommend flying with Skycana? If the timing suits you the best then definitely yes, this flight was actually bound for Venezuela as we were the only 2 customers that went to the Dominican Republic. The queue were very long everywhere although we did arrive on time in Santo Domingo. Whether it's any better than other airlines on the same route, not really.
The flight did make us wonder how life in Venezuela would be and curious to visit the country. The other customers onboard they plane seemed all lovely people.
Booking a flight with Skycana can be a little complicated, the airline is operating flights to the USA under the code of Air Century, which does the ticketing.
For more information about Skycana visit : https://skycana.com/
Tickets for flights to the Dominican Republic : https://www.aircentury.com/
For tickets to Venezuela : https://goflytheworld.com/ or other agencies in Miami.
As a note for people reading this traveling to Venezuela, you are expected to comply with all restrictions of the Dominican Republic as on arrival you'll be required to enter and collect your suitcase in Santo Domingo and check in again for your flight to Venezuela (It was like this in September 2021).
Skycana is looking to expand beyond Miami to New York and other destinations in the USA, I wish them the best it's good to see a local Dominican airline trying to expand !
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