Eurowings, the third-largest European point-to-point carrier, made its inaugural flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to the Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay, St. James on Wednesday, November 3.
Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, expressed that he is elated by the additional route from Germany. The Minister said that it will surely strengthen Jamaica’s connection with the European market.
Minister Bartlett said Germany has been a very strong market for us, with 23,000 visitors from their country coming to our shores in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. And notes that this figure will increase with nonstop flights now available from Eurowings and Condor.
“This flight from Germany will also aid in our mission to increase visitor arrivals from Europe, which my team has been actively engaging with. In fact, airline seat capacity between the UK and Jamaica is at 100% of what it was pre-COVID. We want to assure our partners and future visitors to the island that Jamaica is open for business and is a safe destination with a COVID infection rate nearing zero on the Resilient Corridor,” he added.
The new service will fly twice weekly into Montego Bay, departing Wednesdays and Saturdays, which will enhance access to the island from Europe. The Ministry of Tourism noted that Jamaica is expected to receive 17 nonstop flights per week out of the United Kingdom. Additionally, Swiss leisure travel airline, Edelweiss, started new once-weekly flights into Jamaica while Condor Airlines restarted roughly twice-weekly flights between Frankfurt, Germany, and Montego Bay in July.
The Eurowings Discover aircraft, which had 211 passengers and crew, were welcomed by Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon; German Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Dr. Stefan Keil; Executive Director of Jamaica Vacations Ltd. Joy Roberts; and Regional Director at the Jamaica Tourist Board, Odette Dyer.
