Airlines step up after recent flight cuts

Days after Caribbean Airlines announced plans to stop flying to the Virgin Islands, two other carriers stepped up to the plate last month.

American Airlines added night-time and early-morning service between here and Miami, while InterCaribbean Airways revealed plans for new flights connecting the VI with Barbados and St. Maarten.

American launched its late-night service from Miami to the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport at 10:14 p.m. on Dec. 18, and the plane returned at 8 a.m. the next morning.

The twin routes will operate daily until March, according to the airline.

“This new service expands access to key US markets, strengthens our tourism offering, and provides greater flexibility for residents, visitors, families and business travellers alike,” said Kurt Menal, director of the BVI Airports Authority.

‘Strong presence’

Mr. Menal added that the move builds on the airline’s “strong presence” in the VI market, which had already included five daily non-stop flights between Miami and Beef Island during the tourism high season.

Tourism Director Clive McCoy called the new service a “significant step forward” for the territory.

“The new daily schedule removes a major barrier for travellers, making it easier for visitors from North America, as well as the [United Kingdom] and Europe, to reach the BVI without overnight stops — strengthening our competitiveness in the Caribbean while continuing to enhance accessibility without compromising the high-quality experience the destination is known for,” Mr. McCoy said.

InterCaribbean

Meanwhile, the new InterCaribbean service is set to take off on March 8, with the airline operating seven weekly flights between the VI and Barbados. Four will operate nonstop, and three will route through St. Maarten.

The airline hopes passengers will see the service as providing convenient onward connections to destinations such as Guyana, Grenada, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

“Expanding nonstop options from Tortola has been a priority for us,” said InterCaribbean Airways Chair Lyndon Gardiner. “Adding Barbados and St. Maarten as nonstop destinations gives BVI travellers access to our wider Caribbean network in both directions.”

He added that the move reinforces the carrier’s long-term commitment to the territory.

“We’ve been serving Tortola for ten years now, and we continue to invest in connectivity options for BVI residents and visitors,” he said.

Recent cuts

Early last month, Caribbean Airlines announced plans to cut service to the VI and Puerto Rico effective Jan. 10.

The move was part of a broader regional reshuffle that followed “comprehensive evaluations of route performance and resource deployment,” according to the airline.

The carrier had launched new flights in October 2024 that connected the territory to Trinidad, Barbados, Antigua and Puerto Rico.