Cayman Airways to Start Denver Service in 2019
Cayman Airways has announced the addition of a new seasonal flight between Grand Cayman and Denver. The nonstop flights will begin on March 2, 2019. The service, which will be the longest scheduled commercial flight ever operated by the airline, will be operated by new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
Cayman Airways’ fleet currently includes three Boeing 737-700s and one Boeing 737-800. among others. At the time of writing, the carrier’s US network include Miami, Tampa, and New York JFK.
The route will be served twice per week throughout peak travel periods of December through August. Flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Airline officials say that the route is part of a strategy to target increased tourism from cities on the US West Coast. A service to Los Angeles or San Francisco is also a consideration. Such a service would require a longer runway at Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman. An extension is expected to happen within a few years.
The Cayman Islands are especially known for scuba diving. Colorado is home to the sixth largest population of scuba divers in the United States and is one of the fastest-growing states for scuba divers, according to the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association.
The CTO 9th Tourism Human Resources Conference, organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) will unfold in November at a time when the Caribbean faces increased competition and amidst increasing calls for a total rethink of the way tourism leaders engage with the workforce.
A new route between the Cayman Islands and Denver provides Colorado residents with easy access to one of the world’s thriving scuba diving hubs. Tourism was a driving factor in Cayman Airways’ decision to serve Denver.
This route to the Cayman Islands will be Denver’s first and only nonstop service to the Caribbean. Denver is the second largest US aviation market without nonstop service to an island in the Caribbean even though demand can reach 650 passengers per day.
Denver is also the largest US market without nonstop service to Grand Cayman. Denver Airport officials say that demand to Grand Cayman has grown over 10% over the last year.
The new route will make it easy for passengers from cities like Vancouver, Seattle, and Los Angeles to reach Grand Cayman by connecting through Denver. The new route will not require additional investment from the government of the Cayman Islands.
Cayman Airways isn’t only on the offensive, however. It recently pulled out of Dallas Texas, as three other airlines now connect Dallas to the Cayman Islands. Cayman Airways is also reducing frequencies in its services to Miami and Cuba, as demand has decreased on both of those routes.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines all operate routes to the Cayman Islands.
