By the Caribbean Journal staff

Another important carrier is plotting its return to St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport.

Panama-based carrier Copa Airlines will resume flights to St Maarten on June 2, the company announced.

Copa had suspended operations to St Maarten in September 2017 in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Copa will be operating two weekly flights from Panama City to St Maarten, with flights running from on Mondays and Saturdays.

“Copa Airlines always trusted that St. Maarten and its inhabitants would recover from the effects of Hurricane Irma. With the restart of our operations to the island, the economic, commercial and tourist reactivation of both St Maarten and other surrounding areas will be promoted,” said Christophe Didier, vice president of sales for Copa Airlines. “Since we started flying to St. Maarten almost eight years ago, this island has become one of the preferred destinations for our passengers to vacation in the Caribbean.”

Copa is an important connection point to the Caribbean for many travelers from Latin America.

Copa said it would also begin new promotion efforts of St Maarten, St Martin and nearby Anguilla.

The post Panama’s Copa Airlines Plans June 2 Return to St Maarten appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The new wave of Cuba flight expansion is well underway.

Following JetBlue’s announcement of a major expansion in service to Havana, United has announced plans to increase its Houston-Havana service to daily flights beginning July 20.

The company will launch the new daily service on either Boeing 737-800 or Embraer E175 regional jet aircraft operated by Mesa Airlines as United Express.

“This expansion to Havana will provide significant public benefits to our city, region and state. As a diverse global city – in which many people speak Spanish – we are heavily reliant on international travel for our economic success,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Worldwide access to Houston by air helps bring financial health back to Houston after Hurricane Harvey. The addition of Havana to Houstonians’ travel options will also help us build cultural bridges with our neighbor nation across the gulf.”

That will open up Havana to 44 destinations in the central and western United States.

“United’s new daily service to Cuba will offer more opportunities to connect our customers traveling from Houston and the central and western United States directly to Havana,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s vice president of International Network. “Houston is United’s gateway to Latin America and its convenient location offers customers easy access to connect to 44 destinations across our broad domestic network.”

The post United Expanding Houston-Havana Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Turks and Caicos villa owned by late music legend Prince is headed for auction. And yes, it even has a purple driveway.

Premiere Estates is offering the Turtle Tail-area estate in conjunction with Turks & Caicos Property on an auction set for July 12.

The six-bedroom, six-bathroom home is was the Caribbean hideaway for Prince, who won eight Grammy Awards during his lifetime and passed away in April 2016.

“Although Prince famously loved his hometown of Minneapolis, The Purple One could not resist escaping to this tropical paradise, where he put his mark on the estate with a characteristically creative purple driveway,” Premiere Estates said in a statement.

Indeed, Prince’s relationship with the Turks and Caicos Islands was so strong that the British Overseas Territory put out an official statement on his passing.

The 10,000-square-foot home is set on five exclusive acres in Providenciales, with dramatic ocean views, two private beaches and a 200-foot personal dock.

Prince.

The property also features a tennis court and a guard home at the entrance; it is also perched 40 feet above sea level.

“This sprawling island paradise, is perfect for a luxurious retreat with a one-of-a-kind former owner,” Premiere Estates’ Todd Wohl said on the listing site.

For more information on the auction, click here.

— CJ

The post Prince’s Turks and Caicos Villa Headed for Auction appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Ultra low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has announced plans to install Wi-Fi on all of its planes by next summer.

The company has signed an agreement with technology partner Thales Group to bring high-speed web browsing and streaming on the company’s fleet, which will be the first ultra low-cost fleet to offer Wi-Fi in the Americas.

“We’re thrilled to enhance the inflight Guest experience with the addition of new-generation Wi-Fi,” said Ted Christie, Spirit Airline’s President. “By next summer, every plane in our fleet should be fully equipped to keep our Guests connected in the skies. It’s just one of the many investments we’ve made and will continue to make for our guests.”

The speed should be similar to what travelers find at home, according to the company.

By 2021, Thales will launch a new satellite that will increase speeds further.

“Thales is proud to be partnering with Spirit to mark a new era of Guest experience in connectivity and bring solutions that make tomorrow possible today,” said Dominique Giannoni, CEO of Thales InFlyt Experience. “We are focused on supporting Spirit’s mission and helping to shape new opportunities as we work together to provide an exceptional passenger experience.”

The Wi-Fi options will start at $6.50, with cost depending on the route and demand, according to Spirit, which has been expanding rapidly in the Caribbean region.

The post Spirit Airlines to Install Wi-Fi on Fleet appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

American Airlines is adding more service to one of the Caribbean’s hottest travel destinations.

The world’s largest airline has revealed plans to launch a new daily nonstop flight between Miami International Airport and Barbados in December.

The new frequency will be the third daily flight between Miami and Barbados, with operations set to begin Dec. 19 (tickets go on sale May 14).

It’s another big boost for Barbados, which has been one of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing destinations in recent years, particularly out of the United States market.

Treasure Beach in Barbados.

“We are ecstatic to see the increase in service from American Airlines, which will add millions in economic impact to Barbados,” said Petra Roach, U.S Director of BTMI, who has been at the forefront of the destination’s strong success in the U.S. in recent years.

Indeed, last year, Barbados welcomed 188,970 U.S. travelers last year, a 30-year high for Barbados.

Bathsheba, Barbados.

“We’re thrilled to continue growing our presence in Barbados this coming December with a new seasonal frequency, further strengthening our more than 40-year commitment to this key destination in the Caribbean,” said Alfredo Gonzalez, Managing Director- Caribbean at American Airlines. “With this new route we will now be operating up to four daily flights to Barbados during the winter season from our hubs in Miami and Charlotte.”

Bottom Bay in Barbados.

Barbados was named luxury destination of the year by Caribbean Journal in the 2017 Caribbean Travel Awards.

“The U.S. is a very important growth market for Barbados and the commitment we’ve seen from our airline partners to increase and enhance flight options is backing this trend,” said Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, the Honorable Richard Sealy. “As we know, ease and accessibility are primary drivers for customers’ consideration of a destination, and with this increased service from the Miami gateway, we anticipate even more success with visitor arrivals from the U.S. market.”

The post American Airlines Launching New Daily Flight to Barbados appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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