JetBlue Airlines has officially launched their daily direct flights between Ft. Lauderdale and Barbados. The inaugural flight from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport landed at on time at the Grantley Adams International Airport on Thursday, April 28th.
The inaugural flights was marked with a water salute in Fort Lauderdale and festivities including an appearance by Miami Dolphins cheerleaders. Special guests included popular Barbadian saxophonist Elan Trotman and reggae artiste Wayne Wonder, who was heading to Barbados to perform at the Digicel Barbados Reggae Festival Vintage Reggae Show and Dance.
Speaking at the welcoming party in the Grace Adams Suite at Grantley Adams International Airport, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy praised the Diaspora’s support for launching this new route.
“The role of the Diaspora was not an insignificant one,” said Sealy. “A lot of the 18,000-crew members on JetBlue based in Queens, New York are from Barbados. They have been lobbying to have this relationship for a long time. And the relationship is now flourishing. We moved from having one flight per day, to having as many as 25 JetBlue flights a week,” he added.
“Barbados is one of JetBlue’s most important markets,” JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said at the launch event in Fort Lauderdale. “We’re just going to keep growing and growing.
JetBlue has been flying to Barbados since 2009, beginning with flights from New York’s JFK Airport.
