ST. CROIX — Virgin Islanders with ties to Nevis are now able to fly directly between St. Croix and Nevis on Cape Air with twice-weekly service that started today with a flight schedule optimally timed for local travel, according to the airline.
Cape Air, a Massachusetts-based commuter airline whose first flight was between Boston and Provincetown, Massachusetts in 1989, continues expanding its presence in the Caribbean with the addition of direct flights on Friday and Sunday between the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and the Vance W. Armory International Airport in Nevis. The flights depart from St. Croix on both days at 11:40 a.m.
Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, who thanked Cape Air for adding the new route, said the Department of Tourism has always been a proponent of intra-Caribbean travel.
“Anytime we have an opportunity for visitors to come from any of our neighboring islands, and in this case Nevis, direct into St. Croix, it's a plus,” he said. “And, of course, the reverse travel on the route, St. Croix to Nevis, is also a strong positive for us here in the territory.”
Sean Rawlins, who is from St. Croix and grew up in Nevis, lives in California. He frequently travels to Nevis because he owns businesses there. He also travels to St. Croix from Nevis to visit family. He discussed the inconvenience he has encountered in the past when he has been required to layover in Miami on his way to St. Croix from Nevis, noting the overnight layover requires him to pay for a hotel room. He said he has opted to charter a plane to fly to St. Croix from Nevis in the past but hasn’t been able to afford doing so for the past two years. He said the new direct flight would be a convenience.
“I’m very happy to really see that flight going from St. Croix to Nevis because I haven’t been to St. Croix as much as I want to because I have to charter a plane,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to benefit a lot of people.”
Boschulte said the direct flight is also positive for Virgin Islands residents who are originally from Nevis.
“Having that direct route allows for more opportunities for families to visit,” he said. “Clearly, for us on the tourism side, we’d like them to come to us. But, of course, we’re always mindful of our neighbors and our people to go to those islands as well, and in this case Nevis.”
Abigale Swanston, who lives in Nevis, traveled to St. Croix to visit her aunt and uncle. When she flew to St. Croix, she had a layover in St. Thomas. She was able to fly straight home on today’s direct flight.
“It’s more easier because you don't have the hassle of having to go to another island, and another island, and then back home,” she said. “So, it's kind of interesting, and it makes traveling much more easier. You know, it's just a straight direct flight. I like it.”
Ebise Oyake, of St. Thomas, said he has been required to fly into St. Kitts while traveling to Nevis in the past. He said having a direct flight is more convenient.
“A lot of people from here have family back in St. Kitts and Nevis and are from there,” he said. “So, during the Christmas season, it's good. You have a good carnival over there, so I think it would be a good thing to go into.”
Cape Air expanded its presence in the Caribbean earlier this year when it began offering daily service between St. Thomas and Anguilla on March 8 with flight schedules optimally timed for connections at the Cyril E. King Airport. The airline has been offering frequent daily flights throughout the Caribbean since 1998, operating the Cessna 402 nine-passenger, low-wing, twin-engine aircraft suited for inter-island flights. With its Caribbean hubs in San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, Cape Air operates more than 80 daily flights to St. Thomas, St. Croix, Tortola, Vieques, Anguilla, Nevis, Mayaguez, Culebra, and Virgin Gorda.
Cape Air noted in a press release that the new service further strengthens the airline’s commitment to providing convenient and accessible air travel options within the Caribbean.
“Cape Air has been invested in the Caribbean region for over 25 years,” Linda Markham, Cape Air president and CEO, said in a statement. “A significant portion of our business is focused on connecting island communities to hub cities and providing convenient access to flights on our partner carriers. We are grateful to be able to play a part in driving Nevis’ tourism economy. In addition, we are ever mindful of our important role in connecting the peoples of Nevis and St. Croix with their home islands.”
Mark Brantley, premier of Nevis, spoke in the Cape Air press release about the significance of the direct flight.
“This new service by Cape Air is a testament to the growing demand for seamless travel between Nevis and St. Croix,” he said in a statement. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Cape Air to introduce this route, which will undoubtedly boost tourism, enhance business connections, and foster stronger ties between our islands.”
Now in its 35th year, Cape Air is one of the largest commuter airlines in the United States, serving 32 cities in the United States and Caribbean. Cape Air serves 37 destinations across the northeast, Cape Cod and the islands, the Midwest, eastern Montana, Puerto Rico, U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and West Indies. The employee-owned company, based in Hyannis, Massachusetts, has grown from three flights a day between Boston and Provincetown in 1989 to a fleet of 98 aircraft, more than 250 flights a day, and flying approximately 400,000 passengers annually.
Passengers can book their reservations on capeair.com or by calling 1-800-227-3247.
