CAL’s Barbados flight to end after review of route
(CNS): The controversial Cayman Airways flight that was subsidised by the Barbados Government through its tourism unit has been canned. The short-lived route, launched to much fanfare, was introduced largely to increase inter-island travel around the region and help with airlift to Barbados. However, the flight failed to attract significant numbers, with flights reportedly leaving Grand Cayman almost empty on numerous occasions. The destination was added to CAL’s itinerary last October and will end completely in July.
A joint press release issued by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. in conjunction with Cayman Airways Limited and the Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism and Transport said the service will be reduced to once a week from 17 May before the last flights on 3 July.
BTMI Chief Executive Officer Andrea Franklin said a comprehensive review of airlift into Barbados had been conducted over the winter season. “Following the evaluation of the route’s performance, the BTMI and Cayman Airways mutually agreed to terminate the arrangement,” she said.
Franklin said the CAL route was established to enhance airlift between Barbados and both the northern Caribbean and the West Coast of the USA. However, over the past six months, the BTMI has seen an increase in seat capacity from its key markets; other airlines have increased their flights, and the country has seen a surge in demand. Thanking Cayman Airways for its support, she said there was still a possibility of future partnerships.
Meanwhile, Cayman Islands Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said the ministry understands the need for flexibility in the ever-evolving landscape of air travel.
“The mutually agreed termination of this contract allows both parties to explore new opportunities and strategic destinations,” he said. “Throughout the contracted period, Cayman Airways has diligently fulfilled its commitment to provide reliable, quality service between our countries. Moving forward, our national airline will continue to prioritise tourism and domestic routes, utilising our aircraft to support these vital connections.”
Following the announcement of the route last year, the airline and the tourism ministry came in for criticism as it appeared unlikely that the route would be a success and would distract CAL from routes that would be far more popular with residents here and potential visitors.
Almost from the beginning, the flight loads were said to be low. However, CAL had said that it would not suffer financially as the deal with Barbados guaranteed the airline a small profit regardless of the passenger numbers.
Nevertheless, there were concerns that the aircraft used for what became two flights per week could have been used to fly to other, more relevant destinations for Cayman.
Cayman Airways said it will continue to operate until 3 July to facilitate travel for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Passengers with bookings for travel after that date will be contacted for assistance with rerouting or refunds as needed.
Passengers can also contact Cayman Airways directly by calling 345-949-2311 or 1-844-443-6038 (toll-free in Barbados).
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Category: Local News, Travel
Weekend Orlando flights please. Friday’s and Mondays maybe?
Southwest now flies to Orlando daily.
Southwest to Orlando starts June 4th and will replace Ft. Lauderdale.
I hope that the public remembers that it was Wayne Panton that visited this disaster of a Government on us with his $$$ last election. His desperation for power got us in this mess.
VOTE HIM OUT!!!!
NO to Panton
No to PACT
No to UPM
Rubbish, Wayne was the only decent man we have ever had as a Premier..It was the gang of hooligans and the spanish machete, Judasanna that was his undoing..
Proves that good men and women will never survive in Cayman politics, we prefer power hungry, whoremongering, money grabbing, sell out politicians who throw us a turkey and ham at Christmas to guarantee our votes..
Wayne and decent dont mix! Wait for the news on who is funding a certain social media miscreant to fully understand!!
New idea from kenny. We goin fly to Columbia, it’s a business opportunity.
Reinstate the Montego Bay flights.
Lets Go Vegas – Lets Go New Orleans – At least once a month —
And Nashville and Atlanta and Houston
United flies to Houston and Delta to Atlanta. No need to duplicate these.
We should note that Barbados might spend a few $$ ‘trying a thing’ but they’ve been able to maintain healthy visitor numbers while staying out of the airline business.
Trinidad, who has more $$ to play with than anyone else in the Caribbean, couldn’t make it work but we blow through $25M per year pretending that we can.
It’s time to tap the fastest growing city in the US: Las Vegas. They have recently gained professional teams from all major leagues and the NBA is next.
But what is your thinking for this route?
People from Cayman going there on holiday/work? That’s not enough volume to justify a regular route.
People living in Las Vegas coming here on holiday? Again…not enough volume to justify a route.
People holidaying in Las Vegas continuing on to here? How many would actually do that? Would take a HUGE marketing investment to raise awareness to the small few that want to extend their holiday.
Can we please just continue to build onto the routes that we’ve already invested in? New York, Miami, etc.
Going to Las Vegas would work as well as the Barbados route. Same dog puppy!
I think its worth to try a route to the west coast of Canada. Its a horrible and lengthy time to get to Cayman from the west coast and worthwhile investment to try to get tourists from that side of the country. Calgary might be an easier airport to gain access to given its a smaller airport than Vancouver.
I mean if they wasted million to try Barbados which made sense to absolutly NO ONE. Then extending that mindset to a destination that actually does is a more worthwhile investment.
No one wants more Canadians here. Everyone can see through the fake friendliness. Plus everyone knows Canadians are cheap.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
Kenneth Bryans illusions of Grandeur taking a Lick.
At a significant cost ….
…and remember the cost is to US…the residents of teh Cayman Ilsnds – it is our money that is squandered by kids who have been given the keys to the candy store….
No harm in trying something new.
Okay, a little harm in the form of lost dollars that we contributed. Listen, I’m not a fan of Mr. Bryan, but I respect trying different things to see what works and what does not.
We have to adapt as the tides change. I somehow don’t think that the tourism sector is going to prosper; we have killed our own natural resource model which once drew people.
If the Minister had done his homework he would have known it was not profitable.wasting millions is not a little thing! He should have to repay every penny.
Im ok with trying something new now and again, but the public did not know of this route proposal before it actually happened, and did nor support this route proposal from the start of it being announced.
Time for a little FOI action. Rumour is Barbados has not and will not be paying as we were led to believe.
They can’t very well claim sensitive commercial information once the route is cancelled.
Even a boar hog with t*ts knew this was a stupid wasteful use of a multi million dollar plane and crew, but not our Minister of Tourism, oh no. I’m surprised at the Bajan authorities being so clueless though, they’re usually a bit more sensible.
The Bajans were not clueless, heck it benefited them, only them. Rumours has it that Cayman didn’t get anything out of it. I hope we will eventually get a spreadsheet showing the earnings.
Have toys will play!
What a pre-school we running
Duhhhhh
there needs to be a formal investigation into how this route got selected and approved.
Hopefully they will transfer the in-flight menu to the new routes.
Best plane food ever!
How you like your crow Kenny? Baked or fried?
This country is being run by a bunch of amateurs who have no business clue! A mistake from the beginning!
Unfortunately, too many know business, at least from the perspective of lining their own pockets, or those of friends.
What they don’t know about is education, law enforcement and the judiciary, environment, or social policy.
It was never going to amount anything, experts and amateurs could see it, but not the minster, his ego was more important.
Now remove the billboards and these arrogant Ministers.
Utter stupidity!
Newsflash “island fever” remedy is not flying to another island … it’s vacations in Miami, Vegas, London, Rome…
“Barbados flights almost empty leaving Grand Cayman” the Forrest Gump quote “Stupid is as stupid does” comes to mind.
Where’s the politicians who are giving save the planet speeches yet are quiet on these jets flying around empty.
Please please please do not vote this Government back in next year!
I am voting PPM we need sensible business minded representatives, not incompetent know it alls with no sense!!!
I also hope that this government is not voted back in (specifically Kenny, Juju, and Big-again Mac), but there is no chance in hell that anyone looking for sensible representatives should be voting for PPM and their accomplices.
We are ready for a clean slate. Give some of the youth a chance while they are still young, before they are brought under the wings of lifelong politicians and corrupted.
Seriously, so you think 12 years of PPM tyranny wasn’t enough? I voted for them once, never ever again..Everyone of them were for themselves and still are. Never again PPM!
Who would have thought? Ahhh, everyone else except Cocaine Kenneth?!
Please Madam Governor, get Westminster to impose political funding transparency and campaign financing laws, so that future MLAs are not such utter human detritus as the current execrable mob of unemployable ne’er do wells.
We are going the way of the Turks and Caicos, and BVI – unsurprisingly, as we have the same calibre of oxygen thief politicians.
Why is so difficult to just have a few surveys a year where people in cayman can vote where they want CAL to go so these painfully obvious missteps can be avoided ? Instagram,Fb, Twitter and even WhatsApp can all be used to collect public sentiment before routes and deals are even established.
cns…please do a survey with top destinations..vegas, nola…etc
It’s not about Cayman people. For CAL to be economically viable it is about where you attract people flying to (not from) the island.
That is even more of a stupid idea than Kenneth had with going to Barbados..A new route takes sound research and planning. You can’t just throw an arrow and fly where it falls..
Thank you.
Can we now please have a daily 7 am flight to Miami? And a daily evening flight FROM Miami back here? If you want to add routes, can we not just keep expanding on the ones we know work? Like the JFK flight? It could be great…just need to change it so it arrives in JFK by 5 pm so you can catch onward flights. Now you always have to overnight at JFK. Stupid.
Is the issue that they can’t get more/better flight slots at MIA and JFK?
go kenny go!…..ha ha ga..
Good ol’ Kenny boy. As much use as a white crayon.
Just a reminder of how much of a dumb@ss Kenny is.
Complete waste of resources, but it was convenient for him.
How many millions did this ego trip cost the people of these islands – there is no report of any money arriving from Barbados as was supposedly required by the deal genius Kenny cut.
How much has Kenny’s folly cost Cayman?
Bring back Chicago route
Already Chicago flights on another airline.
Daily, didn’t you read that the plane was leaving almost empty ? A Bajan lady told me that Bajans visiting home prefered go through Miami so they can do some shopping for things to take with them.
Should never have started, anyway Good that it will stop in July. Also need to stop Mo’bay in Ja too
Governments should not be owning and running an airline. Especially a country with a population of under 100,000! The other countries with a 100% government stake in an airline are Cuba, Russia, UAE and North Korea. Nice company Cayman Airways!
One bone headed decision in the first place. Made no damn sense.
Anyone realized that Cayman may be too expensive for most people bloodz. Hell even the Caymanians considering flying out. Wote for the Sacred Conch or his cuzin Box of Squid. You don’t need to wote for me I ya so rightcha so in di Shadows bloodz. Inflation in Cayman is suffering from inflation.
Say no to drugs kids or you will enn up high like deez prices.
LCSM Over annnn OUUT!
Should have never started
Kenny knows better, the good stuff comes from further south and a little to the west.
It would have been successful if it had been run daily. Kenny should have listened to “his people”.
Needed to be twice daily to be successful.
Run daily? You must be as stupid as Kenny himself.
…”shock, Horror, NEVER saw that one coming….”
If only we could get some outside, very expensive consultants to tell us that, BEFORE CIG does such stupid things….
An Auditor’s General Report any one? I can predict it now (before iot gets filed awy to gather dust….
“Lack of research”, “no credible basis for enetering into the route”, “no paper trail”, “no informed peer review”, “no oversight”, “no proper record keeping”, “no receipts”, “no professionals involved in negotiating the contract”, “the contact was enetered into by a 10 year old”……..
What’s the betting that the Barbados Govt will not pay/will be delayed in paying, will partially pay only”, or we’ll finf out in 3 years time: CAL actually agreeed to pick up the entire tab……and we the tax payers will be left picking up after the CIG/Ministry spedthrift kids/incompetents/undereductated….”World Class Employees”….
Say It Ain’t So, Bobo…..But ANY single cell amoeba could have predicatred this….
Hallelujah! Now will you please bring back the 5pm gum ti Miami flight, please?
This calls for a celebratory billboard.
Compass article says flights averaged 34 passengers on a 176 seat airplane, meaning over 80% empty. And of those 34, how many were actual paying passengers.
Right from the announcement everyone thought this was a dumb idea that had no use case.
What was it our own wise prophet W. McKeeva once said again?
Bartimaeus comes to mind.
Up until a few years ago, American had a Miami flight arriving late evening in Cayman, with an early morning departure to Miami the next day. This was absolutely golden for making flight connections outbound and inbound.
Ideally American brings (or is allowed to bring) this schedule back. If not, why not CAL simply add such a schedule (not ideal if have American connections, but better than nothing).
Keep it simple.
AA dropped it as it was too costly to overnight a crew in Cayman. KX should take on this schedule or CIG should subsidize the AA overnight flight cost.
Been saying this since Covid, we need this flight back. With the amount of business travel that happens on this island alone, the amount of times I hear someone complaining about overnighting in the US because they can’t get back here at night or out of here early enough to make connections. Same is going to be true for tourist. They have a set number of nights to take a vacation, wouldn’t you rather that extra night be in Cayman vs a US airport hotel?
Where is the accountability? A complete failure! The CEO, the tourism minister and their advisors should all be fired!!
Clueless with many things and is costing tax payers!! When will the leaking stop?
Vote them all out!
Kenneth…the dogs in the street knew this was nonsense…yet you still persisted.
anywhere else in the developed world you would have been sacked years ago and forced to resign as an mla….
but in Cayman….just another day in wonderland
This was an experiment that didn’t pan out. I didn’t have faith in it, but I also don’t think anyone should be castigated for it. We have to take chances sometimes to find good things. This one didn’t work out. Better luck next time. Maybe we will make a direct route to Dallas/Fort Worth. DFW is a popular and unique hub to many destinations, as well as being one of the best airports anywhere.
Need to add more Miami flights.
And Tampa.
How many cases of dengue were brought in this way?
Meanwhile, Cayman Islands Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said the ministry understands the need for flexibility in the ever-evolving landscape of air travel.
Vote them all out, this has to be the worst set of elected officials ever!!
You can’t make this shit up!!
💯% agree, if the political situation gets any worse we’ll be sunk well before the seas overtake us.
Haha..Kenny spin to cover being fired by Barbados.!
Thankfully for Cayman, they spotted the stupid wasteful decision, and acted on it.
How about a simple ….“Sorry, I tried to expand the airline’s reach, but it didn’t work out.”…..but that would be too much to ask from an uneducated unemployable narcissist.
We’ll never know the real reasons for this obviously ego driven waste of public funds.
Flexibility in the ever evolving landscape = whatever random thought crosses Kenny’s mind, let’s just throw some tax payer resources at it because who cares; there no accountability. Next up, someone persuades Kenny that CAL needs to lease a 777 so he and his ministerial chums can fly to London in a CAL flagged plane. Hell why not – not his money, procurement “opportunity “, some xenophobic vote buying, and will cost less up front than building Ken Darts private air terminal at tax payers expense. What’s not to like?
thank god. now lets see some new sensible routes.
And thank you Barbados for doing what none of our overpaid leaders had the guts or intellect to enact.
Even the esteemed rocket scientist on the board was not willing to stand against this clearly unbusinesslike vanity decision .