BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Air Canada’s scheduled seasonal service from Toronto to St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport later this year could become a year-round service, but this will depend on the load factor, says Dr. Arthur Porter, a director on the Canadian airline’s Board.
Dr. Porter said the airline’s service which starts in December, will not only benefit local tourism but also scores of nationals living in the North American nation.
“Whenever I see the airline taking on the role in coming to places like St. Kitts, I think it is terrific as the air routes will determine to some extent tourism and tourism to some extent determines the economy,” Dr. Porter said in an interview with the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister (CUOPM.com)
He said Air Canada management’s decision to include St. Kitts on its schedule is part of its policy to go to as many places as possible to “broaden the reach of Canadians as well as to allow us to have great tourist trade.”
“It also opens routes for Kittitians and Nevisians. And one of the things is that St. Kitts and Nevis, like Canada, is a member of the Commonwealth, with similar legislative styles, with many Kittitian and Nevisian students in Canada and especially in the Montreal area where there are many Kittitians and Nevisians,” said Dr. Porter.
“It just seems logical to make the world a smaller place,” he said.
The Air Canada director said the airline’s management will look at the loads and make decisions for a year round schedule from Toronto to St. Kitts.
Air Canada’s weekly service starts on December 23, 2011 for the peak winter 2011/2012 travel season which ends in April 2012.
The non-stop flight will operate from Toronto on Fridays and will be the island’s only non-stop commercial flight from Canada, effectively making St. Kitts and its sister island, Nevis, a more viable winter destination choice for travelers from this key North American market.
Air Canada flight AC1778 will depart Toronto (YYZ) at 8:40 a.m. and arrive into St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport at 2:40 p.m. every Friday. The same-day return flight AC1779 will depart St. Kitts at 3:40 p.m. and arrive into Toronto at 8:00 p.m.
Air Canada will use an Airbus 319 aircraft with 108 Economy Class seats and 12 Business Class seats for this flight. All flights are listed in local time. Reservations will be handled exclusively via Air Canada Vacations and their associated travel agencies.
