Caribbean Airlines gives up London.
T&T Guardian Reports.[/size]
The new year will see Caribbean Airlines pulling out of its London routes. It is understood that the airline, which will take over from BWIA on January 1, is trading in its valuable Heathrow spots to British Airways (BA) in favour of a code-sharing agreement with BA to Gatwick.
In a release issued yesterday, Caribbean Airlines said the current schedule between Port-of-Spain and Heathrow would continue until March 27. The airline did not say what would happen to the Heathrow flights after that date, but sources said the airline would stop flying to Heathrow after March 27.
While BWIA had stopped its service to Manchester, Heathrow remained one of its most profitable routes.
Caribbean Airlines CEO Peter Davies has said the airline, which takes the place of BWIA on January 1, would be cutting down on the number of fights when it is launched. Davies, though, had declined to say whether the Heathrow route would form part of Caribbean Airlines’ schedule.
The code-sharing deal with British Airways between Port-of-Spain and Gatwick begins March 28.
Under the agreement:
n Caribbean Airlines’ flight code will be placed on British Airways services from Port-of-Spain, Barbados and Antigua.
n The Port-of-Spain to Gatwick flights will be offered every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
n On all other days, a connecting service between Port-of-Spain and London via Barbados can be booked with Caribbean Airlines.
“Caribbean Airlines is delighted to partner with the prestigious world class carrier British Airways to service this important route from Port-of-Spain to London,” Davies said yesterday.
Caribbean Airlines’ customers will be able to redeem frequent flyer rewards on the London flights. Caribbean Airlines is working to extend this programme to the wider British Airways’ global network, targeted for later next year. Caribbean Airlines will accommodate all passengers currently booked on BWIA.
T&T wins destination of the year.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Known for its booming energy and manufacturing industries, T&T is carving out an international reputation as an award winning tourist destination.
This country’s presentation at the World Travel Market (WTM), which included live entertainment, models in Carnival costumes, a book launch, product sampling and displays from local resorts and tour operators, was commended by visitors to the trade show.
Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz praised T&T’s presence at the WTM, hosted in London, England, as superior to New York’s—which he criticised as unimaginative.
“Trinidad had an unbelievable booth with a full band,” Markowitz reportedly told the Brooklyn media.
At the recently concluded WTM, T&T beat out neighbours Jamaica, Barbados and a host of other countries to win Destination of the Year at the Caribbean Travel and Property Awards and World’s Leading Ecotourism Destination (Tobago Main Ridge Rain Forest).
Also taking a place in winner’s row was T&T’s Tourism Development Company (TDC). The TDC was voted the Most Outstanding Caribbean Tourist Board for 2006, at the Caribbean Hotel Association Crystal Palm Awards for Excellence.
The Crystal Palm Awards for Excellence recognises members of the tourism industry who have performed with distinction in their efforts to develop and promote tourism to the Caribbean from the UK and Europe. Winners were selected based on votes cast by Caribbean hoteliers, tourist boards, tour operators and trade publications from the UK and Europe.
Also coming in for high praise at the WTM was the Travel Foundation Tobago, which received a commendation from the First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards as Best Destination, and Coco Reef Resort, Tobago, which won the Caribbean's Leading Hotel award.
More than 35 companies, including Coco Reef Hotel, Grafton Beach Resort, and Caribbean Airlines (BWIA), represented T&T at the WTM.
Staged annually in London, the WTM is one of the largest trade shows of its type and brings together hundreds of travel agents, tour operators, members of the hotel sector and other stakeholders in the industry from all over the world. Last year 48,211 travel industry professionals representing 202 countries participated in the event.
