By Gina Matthews
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – July 24 marks a significant milestone for the Caribbean as Cayman Airways Ltd. (CAL), in collaboration with the governments of the Cayman Islands and Barbados announced the introduction of a new, direct airline service connecting the two countries.
This new flight is expected to enhance regional connectivity and Cayman Airways is currently working with the relevant regulatory and operational support agencies to ensure the required approvals for the operation of the flights. The scheduled start date is therefore tentative at this point, and subject to change, but the airline is aiming to launch in mid-October, and everything is expected to be in place for tickets to go on sale in early August.
The joint announcement was made by the Cayman Islands minister of tourism and ports, Kenneth Bryan and the Barbados minister of tourism and international transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, during a press conference held in Grand Cayman.
Kenneth Bryan said:
“I am very excited to announce this new, historic route which connects the Cayman Islands in the Western Caribbean and Barbados in the Southeast. The launch of this direct service not only fosters closer ties between our two countries but also provides regional travellers with seamless connectivity that will be cheaper, faster and more convenient than anything currently on the market. I look forward to this partnership having a positive impact on the tourism sectors of both the Cayman Islands and Barbados, and I am pleased that our national airline, Cayman Airways is being strategically leveraged to provide this much anticipated new service.”
The weekly flight from Grand Cayman to Bridgetown is a testament to the commitment of both nations to promote regional connectivity, strengthen bilateral relations, and facilitate economic growth. It represents a significant milestone in the history of the Caribbean aviation industry and serves as a model for future collaborations.
The new service has been timed to give travellers from Barbados the ability to connect via Grand Cayman to the recently launched Cayman Airways service to Los Angeles, opening up the West coast of the United States to travellers originating within the Eastern Caribbean. The addition of another option connecting Eastern Caribbean travellers to the west coast of the United States is expected to facilitate new opportunities for business travel, tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.
“We are pleased to welcome this service from the Cayman Islands to Barbados starting in October 2023 as it will further increase connectivity in the region and serve as a hub for the Eastern Caribbean. This is also a timely service as it is set to begin in time for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival in October. The service begins mid-October in perfect time for the Festival, which runs from 19-22 October. Allow me to take this opportunity to invite Caymanians and the Barbadian diaspora residing in the Cayman Islands, to visit Barbados on this inaugural service to experience the 12th edition of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival.
While the benefits from the direct Barbados service are expected to be transformative at a macro-economic level, travellers will undoubtedly enjoy having the ability to conveniently experience the traditions, foods and iconic events in both destinations, said minister Bryan. The Cayman Islands offers a full calendar of events for visitors to enjoy, and the spectacle and pageantry of our annual Pirates Fest is a particular favourite. The festival runs from 3-26 November and the full schedule of activities will be released on 1 August.
“With the sole shareholder of Cayman Airways being the Cayman Islands Government, Cayman Airways is pleased to be a part of this collaboration between the government of Cayman and the government of Barbados, which will result in improved airlift across the Caribbean region, said Cayman Airways CEO, Fabian Whorms.”
