BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 13TH 2013 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt has welcomed the expansion of flights by American Airlines into the Federation’s Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.
“I am pleased that American Airlines continues to demonstrate confidence in the strength of the St. Kitts & Nevis tourism industry,” said Senator Skerritt, who is also Minister of International Transport, International Trade, Commerce and Industry.
The two additional American flights from Miami will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays and will complement the Friday and Sunday flights from Miami that were added in November 2012.
This expands American’s Miami service to 11 flights weekly, including twice daily service for four days per week from Thursday through Sunday.
From JFK, the flights are now scheduled to depart on Wednesdays and Saturdays and overnight on St. Kitts to return the following days (Thursdays and Sundays).
The timing of the JFK flight southbound also changes to an afternoon departure from JFK with a morning departure northbound the next day, allowing for a greater number of connections in New York.
“The addition of two more flights from Miami is indicative of increasing demand for our tourism product. Further, the schedule shift for the JFK flight to a later departure time creates a significant increase in the number of available connections to our destination from the U.S. and other international gateways,” said Minister Skerritt.
“Whether it’s for world-class beaches or breathtaking landscapes, we are pleased to give visitors from around the world greater access to St. Kitts with American’s increased service. With this new schedule, customers can enjoy even more convenient connections to the island from either New York JFK or Miami,” said Art Torno, American’s Vice President for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America.
With the new flights, the southbound American flight AA1741 will depart Miami International Airport (MIA) at 4:45 p.m. and arrive at St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) at 8:35 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday. The northbound return flight AA1746 will depart St. Kitts at 8:40 a.m. and arrive at MIA at 11 a.m. every Friday through Monday.
The southbound American flight AA2051 will depart New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 4:30 p.m. and arrive into St. Kitts at 9:40 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday.
The northbound return flight AA2052 will depart St. Kitts at 9:40 a.m. and arrive at JFK at 1:25 p.m. every Thursday and Sunday.
American now uses a Boeing 737-800 aircraft for all flights into St. Kitts. These two additional daily flights continue a series of service increases to St. Kitts by American Airlines over the past eight years.
American first started its Miami service to St. Kitts in December 2004 with three flights weekly, which grew to five flights weekly in 2006 and to daily flights in 2008.
The Miami service increased to nine flights per week last year and just one year later, with these two additional Miami flights, to 11 flights per week.
American has operated twice weekly service from JFK to St. Kitts since November 2007.