JetBlue Airways will officially touch down at the Owen Roberts International Airport Saturday, making it the first commercial flight returning to local shores since borders were locked last March, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan announced Wednesday night.
Bryan, speaking on the Cayman Compass talkshow – ‘The Resh Hour’, said the flight is coming from JFK International, New York and government is “really excited” about the impending arrival.
He said the route is a very important source market for many of Cayman’s east coast American visitors who will seek an escape from the cold weather.
“It’ll be the first commercial flight outside of Cayman Airways and British Airways that has been flying recently,” Bryan stated, adding: “They’re showing their commitment to the Cayman Islands to show they’re going to do it in a hard time [with quarantine remaining in place]”.
The Department of Tourism confirmed that JetBlue will operate a regular flight schedule beginning Oct. 16, operating a route twice weekly from JFK (New York City) to ORIA (Grand Cayman) on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
As for Air Canada, he said, discussions are continuing.
That airline was expected to resume flying in November, however several reports reaching the Compass stated that flights which were previously scheduled had been removed Thursday afternoon.
“We are working to try and resolve the issues with respect to the delays in the reopening,” Bryan said.
He stated Cayman Airways stands ready to fill in the gaps where ever there are shortfalls should Cayman’s borders open fully and carriers like Air Canada and American Airlines are unable to schedule flights in time.
“The flight to JFK is not very much difference to Toronto… it’s just a hop scotch away. We will definitely fill those gaps if we cannot resolve the two airlines that would normally come from Toronto with Cayman Airways flights,” he said.
“We have to reassure them [the airlines] sooner rather than later of the [reopening] date which is really credible and supported. If not, we will have all the elements for the reopening and we won’t have any planes. That will be a major issue,” Marc Langevin, CITA President
Cayman Islands Tourism Association President Marc Langevin, who also appeared on the talk show with the minister, welcomed news of commercial flights, but added that the timing is essential now.
View the interview here:
“We have to reassure them [the airlines] sooner rather than later of the date which is really credible and supported. If not, we will have all the elements for the reopening and we won’t have any planes. That will be a major issue,” he said.
He pointed out that in the US airlines are imposing vaccinations on their employees and they are starting to have issues with crews. Added to this, he said, are issues with cancelled flights and increasing competition from other international markets opening up as well.
“We are going to be in competition, if we are not already, in competition with the global market for planes and crew,” he said.
Langevin stressed that having that reopening date will be key for airlines.
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I will be on that JetBlue JFK flight!
And you will quarantine.
It boggles my mind that he thinks Cayman Airways can simply take over those routes if AA and Air Canada do not return on CIG’s timetable.
No mention of quarantine requirements. Until they are dropped, any “commercial” flights will be cancelled, or pretty empty.