REDjet Considers Central America Flights
REDjet Considers Central America Flights
Low-cost intraregional carrier REDjet has started discussions with an airline in Central America and several regional governments to create a new air service link with Panama.
Recently back home from a fact-finding mission to Panama City, St. Lucia’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Senator Allen Chastanet has reported there were productive discussions involving REDjet’s senior management, the Panama-based Copa Airlines, and the Governments of Panama, St. Lucia and Barbados.
"We are exploring the options of a new service between Panama City, Barbados and St Lucia," disclosed Senator Chastanet who said the new flight would further open up the Latin American market to the Eastern Caribbean.
He said that talks with Copa Airlines included consideration of interline and code share agreements, allowing South American travelers to seamlessly connect at Panama City and visit the Caribbean.
On a local level, Minister Chastanet said that in addition to bringing travelers from the continent, there would be other direct benefit for St. Lucians.
“St. Lucians who are interested in shopping in Panama would be able hop aboard REDjet and within a few short hours sample Latin American culture and its bargain shopping as an alternative to travelling to the United States,” he said.
Recognizing aviation as "aerial highways," bringing business and tourism revenue into the region and flying St. Lucian and other Caribbean goods and services to global markets, Chastanet said strong emphasis continues to be placed on building a robust aviation policy and on working with local, regional and international carriers.
In addition to flights to Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad, the Barbados-based REDjet has received approval to operate service in Antigua and hopes to begin flights from that island to Guyana in another two months.
St. Kitts and Nevis has already given it the green light but no dates have been set for the start of flights there; while Dominica and Grenada have indicated they are interested in having REDjet start services there as well.
