Brazil's TAM has received approval at home to launch flights to the Dominican Republic.

The Oneworld carrier says it has been allocated four weekly frequencies by Brazil's civil aviation authority ANAC, and will work to secure the necessary approvals from the Dominican Republic government.

TAM plans to begin service between Brasilia and Punta Cana, it says, without specifying a start date or aircraft type.

The airline says the new route is in line with its plan to increase flights between South America and the Caribbean. In July, it plans to add two additional weekly flights between Sao Paulo and Cancun, for example.

TAM will be the only carrier operating nonstop between Brasilia and Punta Cana, schedules in Innovata show.

The airline is steadily building up its network from Brasilia, and will begin service to several new destinations this year including Orlando and Buenos Aires.

TAM's sister carrier LAN already serves Punta Cana, with service from Santiago, Buenos Aires and Lima.

Source: Cirium Dashboard