Delta will fly to Grenada from JFK, New York as of July '10

It’s a busy week in news of flights to Grenada. Unfortunately we lose the Air Jamaica service as of next month but the good news is that Delta has now put a date on the commencement of its service from JFK, see the full press release below for details.

The world’s largest airline will begin operations into Grenada this summer. Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, Glynis Roberts on Wednesday confirmed that Delta Air Lines will commence scheduled service from John F Kennedy International Airport in New York to the Maurice Bishop International Airport in St George’s starting from July 3, 2010.

In addressing the 2010 Budget at the Grenada Trade Centre Minister Roberts said that the government will continue its aggressive efforts to expand airlift service to Grenada. The nonstop service departs JFK at 8:30 am and arrives in Grenada at 1:20 pm with the return flight scheduled to depart at 2:10 pm and arriving in New York at 7:30 pm.

Delta will use its 737-800 aircraft which offers 16 First Class seats and 144 Coach Class seats. The Minister said that the new service from Delta will also encourage more nationals to return home during the Festive seasons, starting with Carnival this summer.

Roberts, who is also the Parliamentary Representative for St George South, said that the new flight, which will operate only on Saturdays, is also as a result of the Grenada Board of Tourism’s road shows on the eastern corridor and the excellent work of the Airlift Committee led by Michael McIntyre.

The weekly service is expected to provide additional seats to the island which is already served by American Airlines and Air Jamaica from the United States; British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Monarch and Condor from Europe and Air Canada, Sky Service and Zoom from Canada during the winter.

Passengers flying with Delta will be able to make connections to more than 360 destinations, using the airline’s hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St Paul, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City, Amsterdam and Tokyo-Narita, as well as its Northwest subsidiary and Delta Connection carriers.

“This fleet reduction has become necessary as we seek to meet our financial obligations, however Air Jamaica continues to be the best choice for convenient schedule and excellent service as we have ensured that adequate capacity is provided on our core routes”, stated Bruce Nobles, Air Jamaica’s President and CEO.

Effective March 9, 2010, Air Jamaica will suspend service on the New York (JFK) – Grenada and Jamaica – Orlando route, among others.

Details are scarce at the moment but we will report the full story as more details become available.

The New York to Grenada route is pencilled in to start in December 09

Grenada’s minister for tourism, Peter David, has confirmed that negotiations with Delta Airlines are complete and that all being well with paper work a new route between New York and Grenada will open this coming December.

Delta already operate services into Trinidad and other Eastern Caribbean islands and this new service will significantly improve Grenada’s capacity to bring tourism to the island. A radio broadcast with further details is available here.

It is our understanding that the flight will be a weekly service from Sat 12th Dec through April, leaving JFK at 8.30am and arriving in Grenada at 1.30pm. Then re-commencing during July & August.

Peter David said the news was a ‘wonderful development’. We agree.

Other services into Grenada:

• From the UK
  British Airways
  Virgin Atlantic
  Monarch Airlines
• From USA
  American Airlines from New York, Puerto Rico and Miami
  Air Jamaica flies from New York
• From Canada
  American Airlines from Toronto
  Air Canada and Charter flights available during the summer and Christmas seasons
  Skyservice & Zoom from Toronto
• Caribbean
  Liat – Star of the Caribbean and SVG Airlines fly from destinations throughout the Caribbean