Frontier Airlines pulls out of Trinidad route amid Forex crisis, political instability

Trinidad and Tobago: Frontier Airlines has announced its decision to end its services between Trinidad and its Puerto Rico hub, just nine months after launching the route. This comes amid country’s ongoing forex challenges and unstable political environment since last few months.  

According to the information, the Denver-based ultra low-cost will be operating its last flight out of Trinidad and Tobago on April 20.  

In an official statement to a local news channel, Frontier Airlines’ Corporate Communications Manager Rob Harris said that the airline periodically reviews and update its routes based on demand, seasonality as well as other factors.  

Harris did not rule out the possibility of the airline returning to the island nation saying that Frontier will continue to evaluate a potential return in the future. Meanwhile the Airport’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago in an official statement also confirmed that it will continue to work together with the airline.  

Several sources have also confirmed that the country’s ongoing forex challenges played a role in the airline’s decision to exit the market. As a United States airline, Frontier’s operating currency is US dollars and would-be travellers reported resist at paying for tickets in USD over concerns that it would impact their monthly credit card limits. 

Notably, the airline kicked off its services to Trinidad and Tobago on July 11, 2024, as part of the airline’s expansion in the Eastern Caribbean area. The airline provides its services three times a week with onward connections from Puerto Rico adding more than 600 seats to the market. 

The exiting of the airline for the T&T market is now anticipated to impact the number of passenger arrivals significantly with the tourism officials seeking to collaborate with other airlines. Also, the exit of Frontier leaves local Caribbean Airlines as the only airline operating on this route.  

The development has also caused frustration among locals with several taking to Facebook to slam the current government People’s National Movement. “With PNM in control nobody wants anything to do with T&T,” wrote a user named Michael Henderson while another user said, “What is going on that no carriers are staying in Trinidad and Tobago. Is Caribbean and AA the only ones to generate a profit.”