Whether it is for shopping, business, medical services, or other scheduled travel opportunities, Seaborne Airlines is now providing additional airlift – between Anguilla and Puerto Rico – using a 34-seat aircraft, and it is viewed as a welcome service. The scheduled flights are Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and the first passenger flight into the Clayton Lloyd International Airport was on Saturday, May 2.
Agreement was reached several months ago for the airline to add Anguilla to its scheduled flights to a number of Caribbean destinations from the San Juan hub. Despite the fact that other smaller airlines have been travelling the Puerto Rico/Anguilla route, for some time now, the addition of Seaborne Airlines is seen as providing the first major scheduled service to Anguilla since the withdrawal of the American Eagle from the region.
American Eagle provided daily flights to Anguilla, and although Seaborne’s service is only three days a week, it is regarded to be of much assistance – not just to the regular travelling public, but also to tourists from mainland America with hotel bookings on the island.
Anguilla’s Director of Tourism, Mrs. Candis Niles, has welcomed the service being provided by Seaborne Airlines. According to her, the flights to Anguilla will continue until the middle of August when there will be a brief hiatus pending the start of the new tourism season, when the service will be resumed. She informed the public that a special passenger fee was now being offered until June 17, affording Anguillians the opportunity to travel to San Juan at a cost of US$99 plus taxes one way, and for Puerto Ricans and Anguillians to travel to Anguilla at the same cost and taxes – a total of US$215 round trip.
With the addition of Anguilla, Seaborne is serving sixteen destinations throughout the Caribbean.