CHICAGO – United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL) today announced that Continental Airlines will begin nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (PLS), on Feb. 18, 2011, subject to government approval. Providenciales will be Continental’s 26th Caribbean destination.
Initially, flights will operate four times a week, on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, converting to daily service on March 6, 2011.
“We are pleased to offer convenient access to Providenciales, a world-class get-away and an exciting new addition to the list of Caribbean destinations served by Continental and United,” said John Slater, United Airlines vice president of sales. “Our merger allows us to offer new flights to new destinations as we begin to efficiently utilize the combined fleet of both carriers.”
The approximately three-and-a-half-hour flight (CO 610) will depart Newark at 9:35 a.m., arriving in Providenciales at 1:10 p.m. The return flight (CO 615) will depart Providenciales at 2:05 p.m., arriving in Newark at 5:45 p.m. Continental will utilize a Boeing 737-800 for the new service, with seating for 160 passengers (16 in first class and 144 in economy).
The new service complements the combined airlines’ services to other top Caribbean leisure destinations like Aruba, Punta Cana, and Nassau. A popular vacation destination, Providenciales (also called Provo) is the most well known of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
While geographically part of the Bahamas chain of islands, Turks and Caicos Islands is a separate country consisting of 40 different islands and cays. Providenciales features the 12-mile white-sand Grace Bay Beach, ranked “Best Beach” by Conde Nast magazine and by the World Travel Awards for several years.
Visitors also can enjoy the island’s coral reef; water sports such as diving, snorkeling and fishing; golf; a marine park; the world’s first conch farm; and luxury hotels, villas and spas. Providenciales’ official language is English, and its currency is the U.S. dollar.
