Barbados should soon have direct flights from the Cayman Islands.
This was disclosed during a joint virtual press conference by Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, and Minister of Tourism and Ports in the Cayman Islands, Kenneth Bryan, today.
The airline is expected to commence a direct twice-weekly flight, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from Grand Cayman to Bridgetown, from October 18. Purchasing of tickets should be available from mid-August.
With the proposed new schedule, persons will have the opportunity to connect with other Caribbean islands and Los Angeles in the United States of America.
Minister Gooding-Edghill shared that the two governments had worked diligently over the past few months to bring the new service to fruition, and the partnership could not have come at a better time for Barbados.
“If the past is any indication, I’m sure that this service will prove successful, as Barbados has previously partnered with Cayman Airways to provide a charter service between Barbados and the Cayman Islands. We have studied those successful charters and they have been the backbone of the establishment of this service, beginning later this year,” he stated.
Noting that the Barbadian diaspora in the Cayman Islands is large, Mr. Gooding-Edghill said the announcement of this direct flight would be “pleasing for many”.
Mr. Bryan said he was “very excited” about the new venture between the two countries, and pointed out that for the Cayman Islands, the venture represented a significant departure from the norm.
“It’s a part of our broader route diversification strategy aimed at expanding global connectivity and maximising our fleet…. This is the first time that a scheduled service is being offered to a destination in the Eastern Caribbean, as a part of the strategy to expand connectivity to the north, south, east and west,” the Cayman Island Tourism Minister explained.
This service from the Cayman Islands to Barbados is expected to connect Barbados with the northern Caribbean, increase connectivity in the region, and strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.