Saint Lucia may soon benefit from a new air service link with South and Central America on low cost intra-regional carrier REDjet.
Back home from a fact-finding mission to Panama City, Senator Allen Chastanet, Saint Lucia’s Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, reported on productive discussions between REDjet’s senior leadership, Copa Airlines, and the Governments of Panama, Saint Lucia and Barbados.
“We are exploring the options of a new service between Panama City, Barbados and Saint Lucia,” disclosed Senator Chastanet who said the new flight will further open up the Latin American market to the Eastern Caribbean.
Talks with Copa Airlines, the tourism minister added, included consideration of interline and code share agreements, allowing South American travelers to seamlessly connect at Panama City and visit the Caribbean.
In addition to bringing travelers from the continent, Minister Chastanet spoke of other direct benefit for islanders: “Conversely, Saint Lucians who are interested in shopping in Panama would be able hop aboard REDjet and within a few short hours sample Latin American culture and its bargain shopping as an alternative to traveling to the United States.”
Recognizing aviation as “aerial highways,” bringing business and tourism revenue into the region and flying Saint Lucian and other Caribbean goods and services to global markets, the Saint Lucian minister said strong emphasis continues to be placed on building a robust aviation policy and on working with local, regional and international carriers.