brent.pinheiro@guardian.co.tt
KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) is set to increase its service to Trinidad, adding a fourth flight to Port-of-Spain (PoS) from October 29 as part of its winter 2023-2024 schedule.
The airline currently flies a triangle route from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (AMS) to PoS via Sint Maarten (SXM) on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.
The fourth flight will operate on Thursdays with KL0787 departing Amsterdam (AMS) at 1.25 pm, arriving in Port-of-Spain at 8.45 pm. The airline will continue to fly nonstop from Port-of-Spain back to the Netherlands.
Come January 2024, KLM will operate a fifth flight on Mondays. KL0787 departs AMS at 10.40 am, arriving Port of Spain at 6.10 pm. The aircraft leaves just over an hour later for the Netherlands.
In a news release yesterday, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and Tourism Trinidad Ltd expressed delight at the announcement that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was expanding its flight services to T&T. They said the decision underscores the growing appeal of our captivating islands.
They said that since the second quarter of 2023, KLM has been operating an average of 12 flights per month to Piarco on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sunday from Schiphol, Amsterdam, Sint Maarten and then to Piarco.
The average load factor for these flights was 80 per cent of the marketed seats for our route, with the return flight having an estimated load factor of 90 per cent per flight.
“It can be noted that there would be a further expansion of the schedule for January and February 2024 with the addition of a fifth flight for period. This also means that there will be a total of 212 flights from KLM this year with the addition of the fourth flight October,” said the Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Trinidad.
They said the route expansion comes on the heels of Tourism Trinidad’s successful participation in Vakantiebeurs 2023, a leading European tourism fair held in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell, led the delegation to the tourism fair and also had fruitful discussions with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ executives at the airline’s headquarters.
During this meeting, the airline expressed their satisfaction with the performance of the Amsterdam to Port-of-Spain route indicating that it performed “above their expectations”.
The local team effectively conveyed the rising demand for this route, aligning with T&T’s broader tourism strategy, which targets the Dutch and European travel markets. The partnership with KLM, offering direct flight connectivity, is poised to significantly boost visitor arrivals, particularly from the Benelux region. It is expected to continue driving tourism and economic growth in T&T.
In expressing his pleasure about the expanded service, Mitchell said, “We are thrilled to welcome KLM’s extended flight services to Trinidad and Tobago. This development reflects our nation’s increasing appeal as a premier tourist destination. We believe that improved connectivity will not only promote cultural exchange but also drive economic growth and tourism in both of our countries.”
Carla Cupid, chief executive officer of Tourism Trinidad, added, “This is a monumental moment for the tourism industry in our country. KLM’s direct flights provide European travellers with easier access to our rich cultural heritage, natural wonders, and vibrant atmosphere. We eagerly anticipate building stronger partnerships with KLM and other stakeholders to showcase the exceptional experiences awaiting visitors in Trinidad and Tobago.”