Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

A Fly Montserrat Airlines – Islander Plane

Charlestown, Nevis
May 08, 2012

The Premier of Nevis and Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Joseph Parry told the Department of Information Tuesday morning that he is pleased that a Montserrat based airline Fly Montserrat is expanding its route network offering daily flights between Antigua and Nevis.

“I am happy to say that the Route Licenses have been granted, and the new service will begin on the June 04, using Islander aircraft with a 9-seat capacity”, said the Premier.

Initially the daily service will leave Nevis at 7:30am arriving in Antigua at 8.00am. The afternoon service to Nevis will leave Antigua at 5:15pm.

Fares are being finalized but Fly Montserrat expects them to be similar to what passengers are presently paying with LIAT.

Managing Director, Mr. Nigel Harris, met with hotel owners, agents and media officials in Nevis and was delighted by the welcome and enthusiasm for the service: “Everyone has been enormously helpful in getting this off the ground and I hope, if it is well used, that we will be able to expand by offering further flights as demand increases”.

The Company plans to have the aircraft and crew overnighting in Nevis and wishes to become part of the community.

“Fly Montserrat promises to be a part of the community by offering discounts or complimentary travel to residents of Nevis in case of illness, or other emergencies,” said Mr. Harris.

He also said the timings of the flights will allow passengers to spend the day in Antigua as well as offering the chance for people to visit Montserrat for a day trip.

Tourism Advisor in the Nevis Island Administration, Mr. Alastair Sherwood who accompanied Mr. Harris to various meetings with media and tourism partners throughout Nevis, said the airline is a great addition to the Nevis travel industry and the flight times are excellent for North America and European travel to and from Nevis.

“The morning flight allows easy connections to other islands through Antigua, and the afternoon flight from Antigua to Nevis at 5.15pm allows for connecting passengers off British Airways and Virgin from London, off American Airlines from Miami and New York and off Air Canada from Toronto to get to Nevis the same afternoon,” said Mr. Yearwood.

Meanwhile, the month of May marks the third anniversary since the Company began its operations out of Montserrat, and it has now carried nearly 25,000 passengers on its scheduled service, operates charters throughout the Caribbean, carries freight and offers many other conveniences.

Fly Montserrat has just acquired its fourth aircraft, purchasing the Islander aircraft from one of its competitors in Anguilla. The aircraft is undergoing a complete overhaul and will be put into service shortly.

For more information about Fly Montserrat please visit, www.flymontserrat.com which is accessible 24 hours a day. Bookings can be taken for Fly Montserrat’s scheduled services by the following methods:

By e-mail to info@flymontserrat.com

In Nevis – with TDC, the handling agent at the Airport (Tel: 869–469-5430)

In Antigua – with CAS, the handling agent at the Airport (Tel: 268–480-5701)

In Montserrat – By telephone or visit Fly Montserrat’s office at the Airport (open 7:00am to 6:00pm Tel: 664-491-3434)

Related posts:

1. American Airlines To Offer Daily Flights To St. Kitts – Nevis
2. Nevis Premier Welcomes Flights Between Antigua and Nevis
3. Flights From Nevis To Montserrat
4. American Airlines To Start Daily Flights To St. Kitts – Nevis
5. American Airlines To Resume Daily Nevis Flights

Low Cost Airline Ceased Operations Recently

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
April 17, 2012 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt, wants Caribbean governments to reach out to grounded low-cost airline REDjet to ensure its return to the Caribbean skies soon.

Minister Skerritt, in Guyana for the 13th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, told journalists in Georgetown on Monday that there is a “pent-up” demand for air travel in the region, especially with the spiral cost for regional airlift.

Mr. Skerritt, who also chairs the Caribbean Tourism Organization, said high air travel cost will have dire consequences on regional tourism in the very near future.

He noted that REDjet’s recent suspension of its services, presents a valuable lesson to be learnt about the importance of affordable air transportation.

“You speak to Barbados and Guyana ministers which I have had the privilege to do with both just within the last week and both of them will tell you that REDjet was a major asset to them, it also stimulated competition” Skerritt remarked, adding that “Caribbean governments need to sit down and discuss whether you are an equity investor or not. What is needed to bring about affordable sustainable travel in the Caribbean.”

He wants regional governments to meeting the grounded airline’s officials and offered up the CTO to facilitate such gathering.

“I hope that by the time we meet for the State of the Industry conference in October this year in St. Kitts. What I hoped is that by then there would have been a significant (development) in the region and come to grips with the problem because OECS (Organisation of Easter Caribbean States) ministers met recently and this was the theme.

Recently REDjet officials met with Guyana’s ministers of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and Works to seek the country’s financial assistance in getting the carrier back in the Caribbean skies, however no definite position has been met.

The airline is also seeking outside investors, including from Venezuela.

REDjet suspended its operations early last month due to financial troubles, after it complained that it could not compete with other airlines that are receiving government subsidy, including the state-owned Trinidad Carrier Caribbean Airlines, which is receiving hefty fuel subsidy from the T&T government.

Trinidad is the only Caribbean country that revoked REDjet’s licence after the airline announced it was suspending operations.

However the Guyana government, one of the strong supporters of the airline’s entry to the regional market, said it has no intentions of suspending or revoking thier licence.

Related posts:

1. Another Regional Caribbean Airline (REDjet) Fails
2. St. Kitts – Nevis PM On Proposed REDjet Flight Routes
3. REDjet Interested In Flying Into St. Kitts – Nevis
4. American Airlines To Begin New York – St. Kitts – Nevis Service
5. Delta Airlines To Service St. Kitts – Nevis In 2008

REDjet Airlines Out Of Business In 10 Months

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
April 04, 2012 (CUOPM)

Chairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt says the Barbados-based low cost carrier, REDjet should serve as a motivator for developing an environment that would encourage intra-regional travel, noting that  during its 10 months of operations the airline had showed there is a pent up demand for such travel.

Mr. Skerritt, who is also Minister of Tourism and International Transport for St. Kitts and Nevis, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that REDjet had been able to make a significant dent in intra-regional travel “which is being stifled by both capacity and ticket prices.”

“So there is no question that Caribbean people want to travel in the region at the right price, at the right aircraft at the right time.” REDjet was a costly experiment for the investors who put REDjet in place.

“It is a pity that REDjet had to collapse as a business so quickly,” Skerritt told CMC.

Related posts:

1. REDjet Interested In Flying Into St. Kitts – Nevis
2. St. Kitts – Nevis PM On Proposed REDjet Flight Routes
3. Nevis Premier Commends Regional Airline LIAT
4. OECS Tourism Ministers Look For Ways To Improve Intra-regional Travel
5. Price Waterhouse Firms Form Regional Caribbean Network