PAN AM from Fort Lauderdale in June
 |
| American Airlines and BWIA could be flying into St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by the end of the year |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (APRIL 6TH 2004) – American Airlines and BWIA could be flying into St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by the end of the year.
The announcement was made at Tuesday’s sitting of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly by Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan.
“We are extremely close to finalising arrangements with American Airlines to commence direct flights out of Miami in December, hopefully to start twice weekly and based on market demands, to ramp that up to five flights weekly out of Miami,” said the Tourism Minister. He said the American Airline flights could begin in December using the 737 aircraft.
Minister Astaphan also disclosed that officials in the Ministry of Tourism were in discussion with BWIA for the commencement of direct flights from Manchester, England to St. Kitts in November “once or twice weekly.”
“BWIA will leave Manchester at about 11:00 A.M., which means they will not only be able to pick up a large catchment in the Midlands and the north of England, but also from the south of England, because one will be able to drive or fly up to London or even from mainland Europe to make the connections for the would coming from Manchester to St. Kitts-Port-of-Spain and back to the United Kingdom,” Astaphan disclosed.
 |
| Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun have also introduced service to St. Kitts and American Eagle and have increased the number of seats from Puerto Rico |
The Tourism Minister also informed the nation that PAN AM is to begin scheduled service to St. Kitts from Miami in June.
“The flights will be twice weekly on Sundays and Wednesdays using the 727 Boeing jet aircraft,” said Astaphan.
He said travelers would leave Puerto Rico at 7:00 A.M., arrive in St. Kitts, depart St. Kitts at 9:30 A.M. onward to Fort Lauderdale and return from Fort Lauderdale to St. Kitts at 2:30 in the afternoon and leave St. Kitts for Puerto Rico at 6:00 P.M.
“It is always good to Labour, Mr. Speaker, because Labour leads to luck and we have been labouring diligently in the cause of the people and the hue and cry perennially has been for airlift into this destination and we are stepping to the mark as a government,” said Astaphan, who called upon the private sector and the community to support the air services that the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration is introducing.
“If you have to travel out of the Federation, use the air services that are available at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. They are convenient and will get you to the major gateways in North America and Europe,” said Astaphan.
BWIA will join Excel Airways in providing scheduled direct service from the United Kingdom. Excel Airways operates a Boeing 767 aircraft with 281 seats and three separate cabins, Excel plus, premium and economy.
With the completion of the Royal St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort and the Angelus, airlift to St. Kitts has increased significantly with international flights from Philadelphia and North Carolina by US Airways.
Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun have also introduced service to St. Kitts and American Eagle and have increased the number of seats from Puerto Rico. LIAT and WINAIR are also scheduled carriers flying into the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.
