Puerto Rico-based Seaborne Airlines is expanding its St Thomas-St Croix seaplane flights, the company announced.

The expanded service will mean that customers will be able to fly as early as 6:40 AM from St Croix to St Thomas and as late as 6PM from St Thomas to St Croix.

These flights had operated in the past with extreme popularity, particularly for business travelers, the carrier said, although they have also been quite popular with island hoppers looking for multi-island trips that include both St Thomas and St Croix.

The new seaplane flights will operate five days a week from Monday to Friday, launching Tuesday, June 21.

Seaborne Airlines will then be operating 26 daily seaplane flights, or 13 daily roundtrips as the unofficial “air bridge” between St Thomas and St Croix.

The flights are all operated on 14-seat DHC-6-300 Twin Otter seaplanes with two pilots and two engines.

St Thomas

“Seaborne’s new flights will lengthen the day for our many commuters and business travelers, aiding commerce and economic development in The Territory” said Mora Scotland, who is the regional manager for the four United States Virgin Islands Airports that are served by Seaborne.  We are proud of the role we play in the The Territory and will continue to work hard to remain “The Way the Virgin Islands Gets to Work”.

Seaborne Airlines is the only United States Federal Aviation Administration Part 121 Seaplane operator, the highest standard under Federal Air Regulations for pilot training and maintenance, the company said in a statement.

Seaborne Airlines has invested more than $300,000 in seaplane facility improvements in the past year and a half, along with adding new aircraft.

The company is one of the largest employers in the United States Virgin Islands.

Seaborne Airlines operates a network across the wider Caribbean, though its hub is in San Juan, Puerto Rico.