Brent Pinheiro
brent.pinheiro@guardian.co.tt
Caribbean Airlines (CAL) is continuing to expand its footprint in the region with its latest routes to the French Caribbean. Come December, the local carrier will begin operating flights to Martinique and Guadeloupe, both French overseas departments in the Eastern Caribbean. Service to Fort-de-France (FDF), Martinique begins on December 3rd, 2024 and service to Pointe-à-Pitre (PTP), Guadeloupe begins a few days later on December 7th, 2024. CAL will fly four times weekly to both islands – Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays to Martinique and Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to Guadeloupe.
Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Medera said in a statement, “For the first time in years, journeys that would traditionally take several hours are now reduced to just 90 minutes, giving travelers back their most valuable resource: time. Whether for business or leisure, we are confident that this improvement in travel efficiency will greatly benefit our customers, and we are happy to make it easier for the Caribbean to explore and connect with one another.”
Martinique was first announced as a destination on July 18th, 2023 at the ACI Airport Day conference held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. At the time, CAL CEO Garvin Medera indicated the airline would start flights to the French West Indies in either the 4th quarter of 2023, or the 1st quarter of 2024. One year later, the airline says tickets are open for sale.
With the new routes connecting Trinidad and Barbados to the French Caribbean, President of the Martinique Tourism Authority, Bénédicte di Geronimo, said the flights will “not only strengthen our tourism industry but also contribute to building stronger cultural and economic ties between the southern islands and Martinique. We look forward to welcoming an increasing number of visitors from the Caribbean, eager to discover the richness of our culture and the exceptional beauty of our destination."
Travellers walk past a TSA PreCheck lane at the Miami International Airport. Photo: Brent Pinheiro
On Tuesday the airline also announced it has been approved as a participating airline in the TSA PreCheck® program. One of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s Trusted Traveler Programs, it allows eligible travellers to use dedicated, expedited PreCheck lanes at participating US airports without the need to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts, or light jackets. According to the TSA website, PreCheck is available when departing from a participating airport or when connecting on domestic flights after returning to the U.S. from a foreign airport.
TSA PreCheck is only open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents. The program starts at US$78 (depending on the service provider) and is valid for 5 years. Over 90 airlines participate in the program.