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CARIBBEAN Airlines Ltd (CAL) has increased flights between the islands for Tobago’s second carnival.
In a statement on Wednesday, the airline said apart from its core capacity, it has increased flights with 42 additional services, which began on October 18 and end on October 31.
The additional services offer a further 4, 144 seats for the carnival period, CAL said.
The statement quoted the airline’s CEO Garvin Madera as saying, “Caribbean Airlines is happy to be the official airline for Tobago Carnival and we are poised to welcome both local and international visitors to the island.
“The airbridge is a significant part of our operations and this partnership with the Tobago Carnival Commission and other stakeholders is key to showcasing Tobago’s carnival to the world.”
As part of its commitment to the festival, CAL said, it will host a Carnival Welcome Home activity to welcome visitors at the ANR Robinson International Airport, Tobago on Friday, October 27. The airline said arriving passengers will be treated to a celebration of traditional Tobago culture and creativity with music, live entertainment and costumed masqueraders.
CAL said it is also a contributing sponsor of several of the carnival’s signature events including, Soca Monarch, RoxGlo, Pan & Powder and the Parade of the Bands.
The statement quoted Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd’s executive chairman Alicia Edwards as saying, “TTAL is thrilled to partner with CAL for this celebratory activation, ensuring Tobago’s vibrant culture and warm hospitality greets visitors from touchdown.
“We welcome the increased capacity reflecting the airline’s commitment to seamless travel during this festive week and will continue collaborating with key sector partners to create a sustainable, competitive, and accessible destination, ensuring Tobago's tourism success beyond Tobago Carnival."
At an event on Tuesday at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told reporters the airline’s decision to increase flights, mere days before the carnival, was an insult to Tobagonians.
“We have seen CAL put on additional flights for other jurisdictions and support other events in other Caribbean territories,” he said.
“I don’t know what it would have taken for CAL to just do this earlier, because the need was there all along. It is a sort of catch-22 when it comes to marketing, because if we spend the money on marketing, we have to be sure that there are flights to bring people, because you can spend the money on marketing in a big way, and then there are no flights and so the money is wasted.
“So knowing just a few days before is really an insult to Tobagonians, to be honest. And it is in an effort, I think, by CAL to hopefully try to make the thing fail so they could say, look, they put on extra flights and nobody took it up – when in reality people were demanding these flights long in advance.”
He said the THA has asked CAL to consider the flight arrangements the assembly already has with British Airways (BA) if needs be.
“Because the THA still pays BA handsomely for the flights to get here, service agreements. We have gotten no response on that.”
Augustine said there is a need for more flights.
“We have been saying seasonally we have to move from the 12 round trips back to the 22-24 that we had pre-covid19, based on the season. That has not happened, as well.”
He said the THA remains committed to working with CAL.
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