Cayman Airways’ first flight to Barbados is scheduled to take off on Wednesday, 18 Oct.
Executives and staff of Barbados Tourism and Marketing Inc, who were in Cayman this past weekend, will be joining the inaugural flight.
Members of the Barbados media, including from the the island’s Government Information Services, will also be on board, according to a press release.
Juliette Gooding-Michelin, honorary consul to Barbados in the Cayman Islands, said this is an exciting time for the two destinations.
“And these direct flights are welcomed by persons from other parts of the Caribbean who now have the opportunity to visit ‘back home’ more often with less travel stress,” she said.
“In addition, it allows persons who wish to explore business opportunities in either Barbados or Cayman, the ability to fly in and out of either country, with ease.”
On announcing the new route earlier this year, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan called it a “game changer”.
He said it would open up travel between Cayman and the eastern Caribbean and help establish Cayman as a hub for travel between Barbados and North America.
“It will make it possible to travel from one side of the Caribbean to the other within the same day without connecting through Miami,” he said.
The weekly flights will operate initially through 1 Nov. on Wednesdays:
- Flight KX800 departs Grand Cayman at 7am and arrives in Barbados at 11:25am
- Flight KX801 departs Barbados at 12:45pm and arrives on Grand Cayman at 3:25pm.
The Barbados schedule changes to twice-weekly (with an overnight in Barbados) after the commencement of the second LAX flight from 7 Nov., as follows:
- Tuesdays: Flight KX802 departs Grand Cayman at 5:10pm and arrives in Barbados at 9:35pm
- Wednesdays: Flight KX805 departs Barbados at 11:45am and arrives on Grand Cayman at 2:25pm
- Thursdays: Flight KX802 departs Grand Cayman at 5:10pm and arrives in Barbados at 9:35pm
- Fridays: Flight KX803 departs Barbados at 9:20am and arrives on Grand Cayman at 12pm
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Cayman Airways were subsidised by Gvt last year to the tune of CI$35 million which included an “equity investment”, not to mention the waiving of all landing fees. Despite all this the airline managed to make a loss of CI$11.1 million for the year. This route along with others will only add to their losses.
I was excited that an alternative to travel through Miami was being offered, particularly when that route requires one to overnight both ways on the way to Trinidad which is my destination. I find, to my despair, that Cayman Airways has done the same thing, requiring overnight in Barbados before going on to another Caribbean destination. If this is meant to boost hotel stays in Barbados, it is very shortsighted. The main reason that persons from territories around Barbados would take this flight is to have a convenient transit and connection all in the same day. The timing of the inaugural flight is perfect for allowing connections but that is not to be continued. Surely, with two flights a week, one could leave Cayman earlier and allow for same day connections. Very disappointing.