ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua and Barbuda will be ramping up its regional airlift this winter season as the destination welcomes increased service from Guadeloupe based airline, Air Antilles in December.
The French airline will be introducing new routes, with twice-weekly services on Monday and Friday from Barbados and Saint Lucia. The inaugural flights are scheduled to land at Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport, with passengers disembarking a non-stop flight from Barbados, and a one-stop from Saint Lucia, effective December 17, 2021.
Air Antilles will also launch a direct non-stop service twice per week, on Wednesday and Sunday, to Antigua from St Maarten, with connection to Guadeloupe. This service will provide a resumption in airlift to the neighbouring French Caribbean islands, which are key regional markets for Antigua.
Antigua and Barbuda’s minister of tourism, Charles Fernandez said: “As demand for travel returns, Antigua and Barbuda is re-establishing itself as the heartbeat of the Caribbean. The connectivity afforded by the integration of another regional carrier into our network, represents an opportunity for us to augment regional travel, and enables us to continue our move towards increasing arrivals from the wider Caribbean market.”
Marketing consultant for the Caribbean region, Charmaine Spencer said: “This welcome boost in airlift will benefit Antigua and Barbuda, by providing increased connectivity to the region, and strengthening the country’s strategic positioning as a major hub in the Northern English-speaking Caribbean.”
“The addition of this service has been highly anticipated since Antigua is a vital gateway to fulfilling Air Antilles’ commitment to providing key airlift across the English-speaking Caribbean. We are thrilled to be flying into the destination and look forward to servicing Antigua and Barbuda, and travellers to Antigua for the long-haul”, noted Romain Hordel, commercial and marketing director of Air Antilles.
The Air Antilles partnership will also extend the destination’s reach into the Dutch-speaking Caribbean, with one-stop flights from Antigua via St Maarten to Aruba and Curacao. In addition to greater regional access, Air Antilles through its Caribsky Alliance and codeshare flights with major airlines such as Air France, Corsair International, and WINAIR, brings improved connectivity to the French Antilles, with onward connections to Europe.
The airline will operate the following flight schedule to and from Antigua’s V.C Bird International Airport:
To Antigua:
- From Pointe-à-Pitre: Wednesday and Sunday via Sint Maarten SXM
- From Fort-de-France: Wednesday and Sunday via SXM/Pointe-à-Pitre
- From Barbados: Monday, Friday direct flight
- From Sint Maarten SXM: Wednesday and Sunday direct flight
- From Dominica: Monday, Friday via Barbados/St Lucia – Wednesday via Sint Maarten SXM
- From St Lucia: Monday, Friday via Barbados
From Antigua:
- To Pointe-à-Pitre: (Guadeloupe): Monday, Wednesday, and Friday via Sint Maarten SXM
- To Fort-de-France: (Martinique): Monday and Friday via Pointe-à-Pitre/ Sint Maarten SXM
- To Barbados: Wednesday and Sunday direct flight
- To Sint Maarten SXM: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday direct flight
- To Dominica: Wednesday and Sunday via St-Lucia / Barbados
- To St Lucia: Wednesday and Sunday via Barbados
