Cayman Airways to suspend direct flights to Barbados amid low demand

Barbados: The Cayman Airways has announced the suspension of its direct services between Barbados and Grand Cayman on July 3. The ending of the route comes as the flights were reported to be frequently leaving almost empty.

Less than a year after it started, Cayman Airways flights to Barbados, which was subsidised by the government via the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, is to be concluded just after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The development was announced last week by the state-owned tourism marketer. 

The service was launched amid much fanfare and was the focus of sustained criticism in the British Overseas Territory after failing to welcome a significant number of passengers, in spite of being home to major Barbadian expatriate workers who earlier had to travel through Miami.

But, even after the launch of this flight, the reports said that the Grand Cayman-Barbados flight were reported to be leaving almost empty. 

The BTMI, Cayman Airways and the Cayman Islands tourism ministry gave a joint statement and announced that the twice-weekly service will be reduced to a single weekly service from this Friday before the service’s final termination on July 3, just four days after the final of World Cup at the Kensington Oval Stadium. 

The Chief Executive of BTMI Andrea Franklin said that a review over the winter season found that the service was underperforming despite of its intended goals and aims. 

She said that after the evaluation, BTMI and Cayman Airways mutually agreed to terminate the route as it was launched to enhance airlift between Barbados, the northern Caribbean and the United States West Coast. 

It is to be noted that Cayman Airways also offers non-stop jet service from Grand Cayman to Colorado, Denver, and Los Angeles, California, as well as Miami, Tampa, and New York. 

Franklin further added that the Panamanian flag carrier Copa Airlines proved to be a famous choice for connecting travelers from the West Coast of the USA to Barbados. She also noted that this service has increased its weekly flights from three to four since January.

Moreover, the BTMI chief highlighted that other airlines have also increased their capacity from major markets, with a 60000-seat increase projected for the next winter along with an increase in demand.