A significant step
The start of JetBlue daily service from New York marks a significant step in the further development of the tourism economy of St. Maarten/St. Martin. One of the main complaints heard from particularly frequent visitors to the island is that it has become increasingly expensive and sometimes difficult to get a flight here, especially during the busy season.
The Dutch-side tourism product consists mostly of timeshare and the vast majority of stay-over guests stays at one of the timeshare resorts. These people often come one or even more times every year, so the airfare is a big issue for them.
Apart from its introductory fare of US $99 each way, the regular, year-round fares of JetBlue starting as low as US $154 each way are still almost 30 per cent cheaper than the average fares of other airlines on the route. Those airlines will now be compelled to become more price-competitive, to the benefit of the consumer.
Concerns that the low-cost carrier will hurt the regular airlines and perhaps endanger the continuation of their flights have proved unfounded in most Caribbean destinations JetBlue now serves, including Aruba. The Northeast remains the island’s most important market and the demand should be great enough for the different airlines serving that area to co-exist.
With the Spirit flights from Fort Lauderdale and now JetBlue from New York, “The Friendly Island” joins the growing number of destinations to benefit from the development of low-cost carriers. Hopefully, the flights will be successful so that they may continue for years to come to the benefit of the airline, travellers and the island as a whole.
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