Above: a WINAIR plane

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Regional air carrier WINAIR is relaunching service to the British Virgin Islands.

WINAIR, Windward Islands Airways International, began double daily service between Beef Island and St Maarten on Sunday.

The company will operate the service on 19-seat de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft.

The company’s return to the BVI will increase capacity to the destination by 13,000 seats each year.

“We are very pleased to welcome the WINAIR service to the British Virgin Islands. WINAIR’s flight schedule between St. Maarten and Tortola is an addition to the growing list of travel options available to our visitors,” said Sharon Flax-Mars, Director of Tourism for the British Virgin Islands. “We continue to work with the airlines to make the BVI more accessible to travelers and to ensure that travel connections from our major source markets are efficient and effortless.”

The flights will depart St Maarten at 11:35 AM and 4:55 PM, with Tortola flights departing at 12:40 PM and 6:00 PM.

WINAIR is based in the St Maarten hub, with service to the islands of Saba, St Eustatius, St Barth, Nevis and St Kitts.

“We at WINAIR are very happy to be recommencing service to the BVI. This is just the start of the long partnership that we plan to develop with the BVI,” said Michael Cleaver, President and CEO at WINAIR. “Over the next few months, we may start using the ATR 42 (48-seater) on this route, which will offer even more seats between our two islands. We are looking at the connectivity with Copa Airlines and should be in a position to offer round-trip connectivity very soon. This new service will also offer residents of the BVI more accessibility to St. Maarten where there has been a long shopping history.”