Air carriers add new flights to the Caribbean in response to high demand

Friday, April 23, 2004

NEW YORK, USA: The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) reports that air carriers are continuing to recognize the progressive high demand for air service to the world’s number one warm-weather destination by adding new flights and frequencies to and through the Caribbean region.

Air Jamaica

In February 2004, Air Jamaica announced new morning service from Houston, TX, to Montego Bay, Jamaica, with connections inside Jamaica and onwards to other Caribbean destinations. The following month, Air Jamaica launched increased service from Atlanta to Montego Bay, creating a third non-stop flight operating five times per week. From Montego Bay, travelers can fly Air Jamaica to Antigua, Barbados, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Curacao, Grenada, Nassau, St. Lucia, Haiti, Santo Domingo and Providenciales.

American Airlines

In November 2003, American Airlines reported new service from Fort Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The following month, the air carrier debuted a first-ever non-stop flight daily from Los Angeles to San Juan, with connections being offered to other Caribbean destinations from Puerto Rico.

In January 2004, passengers on American Eagle were introduced to a flight from North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Nassau International Airport, with Saturday and Sunday departure and returns.

Just three months later, American Airlines resumed non-stop Sunday service between Boston’s Logan Airport and Montego Bay, Jamaica. And, between June 10 and Sept. 7, 2004, beginning again on Dec. 15, American Eagle will expand regional jet service out of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), adding new seasonal service between DFW and Nassau, Bahamas.

BWIA West Indies Airways

Over the past six months, BWIA West Indies Airways has added the Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ) route to its growing network. SQD is the third addition to the airline’s efforts to expand its network to Spanish-speaking Caribbean and Latin American destinations. Prior to SDQ, BWIA commenced services to Havana, Cuba, and San Jose, Costa Rica. As part of its normal schedule of operations, the airline will be increasing the number of flights between its North American and Eastern Caribbean destinations in order to accommodate the higher demand for travel during the summer 2004 period.

Continental

In December 2003, Continental inaugurated new service from its Newark Liberty International Airport hub to three additional Caribbean destinations: Bridgetown, Barbados; Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Freeport, Bahamas.

Just three months later in March 2004, Continental introduced daily regional jet service from Houston, Texas, to Nassau, Bahamas.

On June 10, 2004, Continental will add frequency and inaugurate service to yet more destinations in the region: new service from Newark to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (daily, non-stop service); new service from Houston to Port-of-Spain (four times a week, non-stop service); and new service from Houston to Montego Bay (also four times a week, non-stop service). These three new flights will use a Boeing 737 New Generation Aircraft.

Delta Air Lines

In April 2004, Delta Air Lines said it is preparing for an increase in international travel this summer by expanding its own international service, as well as placing its code on international flights offered by its SkyTeam global alliance partners.

Delta’s new service includes: new service two times per week from Atlanta to St. Lucia; two new daily flights from New York-JFK to San Juan, Puerto Rico; and expanded frequencies from Atlanta to Liberia, Costa Rica. June service additions include daily flights from New York-JFK to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In addition to these specific fights, Delta, Continental and Northwest plan to expand their present codeshare services to include placing their codes on each other’s flights to 11 destinations in the Caribbean and 12 destinations in Latin America. These are in addition to the 1,300 flights on which the three carriers now place their codes. Customers also can earn and redeem frequent flyer miles on any of these flights.

Hooters Air

On Dec. 18, 2003, Hooters Air began service to Nassau, Bahamas, from Atlanta, Baltimore, Columbus, Ohio, and Newark through its Myrtle Beach hub. Flights depart Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

JetBlue

JetBlue Airways, New York’s low-fare carrier, has received authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation to serve the Dominican Republic. Upon completion of the application process by the government of the Dominican Republic, JetBlue plans to launch twice-daily service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Santiago starting June 10, 2004, and a daily flight to Santo Domingo starting June 17, 2004.

Also, in March 2004, JetBlue announced new service from New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Aguadilla, on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast, starting May 27, 2004, and two additional frequencies between JFK and San Juan for the summer. Aguadilla marks JetBlue’s second city served on the “Isle of Enchantment” following the carrier’s launch of service to San Juan in 2002. JetBlue currently operates four daily roundtrip flights between JFK and San Juan and will serve the route with six flights daily this summer.

LIAT

LIAT reports additional service into Santo Domingo (SDQ), creating a fourth flight to this destination. The carrier has also added additional service to Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Pan Am

Pam Am will begin scheduled service to St. Kitts (SKB) from San Juan (SJU) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) on June 2, 2004. This represents the return of Pan Am to St. Kitts, which was last served by the original Pan American World Airways in May 1986.

US Airways

In December 2003, US Airways introduced new service to La Romana, Dominican Republic, from Charlotte, NC.

Additionally, the carrier reported new routes to the following existing destinations:

Washington Dulles-San Juan (November 2003);
Charlotte-St. Kitts (Dec. 13, 2003); Philadelphia-Providenciales (Dec. 13, 2003);
New York LaGuardia-San Juan (Dec. 13, 2003);
Boston-Montego Bay (Feb. 14, 2004);
Boston-Nassau (Feb. 14, 2004);
Charlotte-Antigua (Feb. 14, 2004);
New York LaGuardia-Aruba (begins June 12, 2004);
New York LaGuardia-St. Thomas (begins June 12, 2004);
Ft. Lauderdale-Bermuda (seasonal May 5-Sept. 22);
Orlando-Bermuda (seasonal May 8-Sept. 25);
Baltimore (BWI)-Bermuda (seasonal June 6-Sept. 4).

US Airways also added frequencies to the following existing routes:

Boston-San Juan increased to daily service (Oct. 26, 2003);
second daily Philadelphia-Montego Bay (November 2003);
Charlotte-Punta Cana (increased to three times weekly, November 2003);
Boston-Montego Bay (increased to four times weekly, December 2003);
second Saturday Philadelphia-St. Thomas (December 2003);
second Saturday Charlotte-Aruba (February 2004);
third Saturday Charlotte-Nassau flight (February 2004);
second Saturday New York LaGuardia-Nassau (February 2004);
second daily Philadelphia-Nassau (February 2004);
second Saturday Philadelphia-St. Maarten (February 2004);
Charlotte-San Jose (increased to four times weekly, February 2004);
Philadelphia-San Jose (increased to four times weekly, February 2004);
second daily Philadelphia-Bermuda flight (seasonal May 2-Nov. 6, 2004); and
second daily New York LaGuardia-San Juan (begins June 12, 2004).

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