Above: Saint Pierre, Martinique (CJ Photo)

By Alexander Britell

Seaborne Airlines will be launching direct service from San Juan to Martinique beginning in June, the company announced.

The flights will operate out of San Juan on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and from Martinique to San Juan on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The move comes after American Airlines began weekly Saturday service from Miami to Fort de France in April.

“This is a very exciting development and we are pleased that Seaborne Airlines has taken over the San Juan – Fort-de-France route, allowing convenient connections with major US cities and the Caribbean,” said Karine Roy-Camille, Commissioner of the Martinique Tourism Authority, in a statement.

Seaborne is one of a small group of carriers that have been looking to fill the void left by the departure of American Eagle from the region.

In an interview with Caribbean Journal last month, Seaborne CEO Omer ErSelcuk called Martinique “a little bit of France in the Caribbean.”

He said the company’s service could give more opportunities to travelers who might not want to travel to Martinique for an entire week.

Seaborne will be using 34-seat Saab 340 planes for the service.