Third Twin Otter plane for Little Cayman arrives

A long-awaited third Cayman Airways’ Twin Otter plane to service Little Cayman went into operation Sunday, 17 Nov., Cayman Airways has confirmed.

The Little Cayman airfield has recently only had one plane in operation, as the second Twin Otter is undergoing maintenance – an issue that was highlighted during an evacuation of tourists from the island following Hurricane Rafael earlier this month.

Sister Islands Tourism Association treasurer Kimberley Dangerfield welcomed the addition of the new plane to the Little Cayman route, saying, “Christmas has come early”.

“We are completely delighted with this news,” she added. “It’s a big thing for Little Cayman,” she said, adding that the extra connectivity to Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman would encourage more tourists to visit the island.

Cayman Airways president and CEO Fabian Whorms, in the statement announcing the acquisition of the new plane on Sunday, said, “This new addition to the Cayman Airways Express fleet, registered as VP-CAW, is equipped with a state-of-the-art avionics suite, enhancing operational reliability for flights to and from Little Cayman.

“This extra aircraft provides much-needed redundancy for Cayman Airways Express, ensuring dependable connections for our customers and greater scheduling flexibility.”

Whorms confirmed that, after completing all necessary registration and regulatory procedures, the Twin Otter would be added to the regular rotation for domestic service as of 17 Nov.

The airline said a formal dedication ceremony for the aircraft will be held later this month.

Long awaited

Residents and businesses on the island have been appealing for increased airlift for the island for years.

While one plane was available to take passengers from Little Cayman to Cayman Brac following Rafael, the lack of redundancy with the two 19-seater Twin Otters was starkly evident in November 2022, when passengers had to be ferried on board dive boats to the island after flying into Cayman Brac on the Cayman Airways jet because both Twin Otter prop planes were out of service.

The size of the runway at Little Cayman’s Edward Bodden Airfield means the only aircraft in CAL’s fleet that can land there are the Twin Otters.

SITA’s Dangerfield told the Compass, the limited airlift had left Little Cayman “struggling for years”, and situations like the one created by Hurricane Rafael had led to “further challenges”.

Following appeals from the Sister Islands Tourism Association and business owners on Little Cayman, Cayman Airways issued a request for quotations for the purchase of a new Twin Otter in April last year. That bid for tenders was unsuccessful, so was followed up by a new request in November 2023, which led to the purchase of the aircraft it is now putting into operation.