Barbados welcomes 54 flights, including inaugural Delta service from New York

Barbados welcomed 54 flights on Saturday, including the inaugural direct flight of Delta Airlines from John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York to Grantley Adams International Airport. 

These 54 flights consisted of 15 wide body, 15 narrow body and 24 regional flights, bringing collectively 8000 enthusiastic passengers. 

Out of these 8000 passengers, 5800 were stay-over visitors and 2200 were air to sea transfers, who ventured around the island and patronised local businesses.

Inaugural Direct Flight Services from Delta Airlines 

Delta Airlines launched its inaugural direct flight services from JFK New York airport to Grantley Adams International Airport on Saturday. 

The fully-booked DL 1900 flight landed at the airport around 2:30 pm, brought a full capacity of visitors, i.e. 160. The aircraft was captained by Mark Nagel and First Officer, Chad Potter. 

The inaugural flight of Delta Airlines from New York was welcomed with a grand welcoming ceremony, attended by several tourism delegates. 

The officials who attended the ceremony included, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding- Edghill, Senior officials from the Ministry, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association and USAID General Development Director of the United States (US) Embassy, Steven Foundriest. 

Passengers onboard the flight were welcomed with lively cultural dance performances, steel pan music and a Bajan Santa Claus, fostering the rich cultural heritage of the island nation. 

“This morning, against a backdrop of snow, Delta reinitiated its direct flight from New York to Barbados just in time for the holidays! Delta Flight 1900 from JFK arrives later on today,” Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. 

Growing demand of Barbados among U.S. travellers 

Not only this, five other direct flight services from the United States also touched down at the airport on the same day, marking a significant milestone in the country’s tourism industry. 

While expressing excitement and shedding light on the arrival of 6 aircrafts from the U.S.A, Minister Ian Gooding- Edghill said that it shed light on the growing appeal of Barbados among travellers from the United States. 

He added that the arrival of 6 flights from the U.S. outlines the confidence of the U.S. market on Barbados. 

Inaugural Flight Services welcomed by Barbados in 2024

Barbados has welcomed several inaugural flights from USA this year, including

·         American Airlines from Philadelphia to Barbados, offering a weekly service

·         American Airlines from JFK, New York, offering daily services

·         Delta Airlines from JFK, New York, offering weekly services

·         Delta Airlines from Atlanta, offering daily services

Shedding light on these inaugural flight services from the U.S.A, the tourism minister, Ian Gooding- Edghill said that it is a testament to the growing appeal and accessibility of Barbados as a premier travel destination. 

He added that these services shed light on the increasing demand of the country as a must-visit Caribbean destination. The Minister further went on to add that this significant increase in air seat capacity from the USA will also allow for greater connectivity from major hubs in the United States of America. 

Barbados to end 2024 with arrival of around 2.35 million passengers 

The tourism authority of Barbados is looking forward to conclude their 2024 with a record breaking 2.35 million passengers (inbound and outbound), exceeding the record set in 2019 of 2.29 million passengers.

Emphasising on this statistical projection, Minister Gooding- Edghill noted that their strategy of getting additional airlift has come to fruition. 

“This is not by any means the end of our airlift strategy. What it does signal is that we are going to, from next year, be going after additional airlift for a destination Barbados,” he added.

He added that the strategic approach implemented by them will play a significant role in increasing the arrivals of visitors and boosting economic contribution from the tourism sector, aiming to contribute to the national growth.