THE Saint Lucia Tourism Authority together with the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority welcomed an inaugural nonstop American Airlines flight from Chicago on Saturday December 21, 2019 with festive celebrations in each destination to commemorate the occasion.
To honor the departure of the first flight, Minister of Tourism Honorable Dominic Fedee greeted passengers at the gate in Chicago before takeoff. The atmosphere was convivial and Minister Fedee helped to build excitement for passengers embarking on their Saint Lucia vacation by providing details about the destination while passengers listened to live steel pan music, photo opportunities with Saint Lucians attired in colorful National Wear and enjoyed breakfast treats. During the flight, several lucky passengers won prizes that include branded gifts, various classes of catamaran cruises sponsored by Carnival Cruises and a complimentary five night stay in Saint Lucia with luxury all-inclusive resort-East Winds.
Upon landing in Saint Lucia, the flight was welcomed with a water canon salute and live music by local steel pan youth band the Laborie Pan Project. In a press conference at the airport, Minister Fedee presented a plaque to the American Airlines Captain Kate Magon and her accompanying crew members.
“We are pleased to welcome residents of Midwestern states to Saint Lucia, where they can experience our renowned cultural experiences, bask in our perfect weather and enjoy a warm welcome from our local Saint Lucian residents,” said Minister of Tourism, Honorable Dominic Fedee. “American Airlines passengers now can fly direct to Saint Lucia from Chicago, Charlotte, Miami and Philadelphia, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership with the airline.”
The nonstop service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) will depart weekly on Saturdays. AA1910 departs ORD at 8:20am Central Standard Time (CST) and arrives in Saint Lucia at 3:50pm Eastern Caribbean Time (ECT). For the return, AA1910 departs from UVF at 4:47pm ECT, arriving ORD at 9:20pm CST.
With the addition of the Chicago flight, American Airlines now flies to Saint Lucia with direct service from four U.S. markets, including Charlotte (CLT), Miami (MIA) and Philadelphia (PHL).
Year to date (YTD) November 2019, AA has provided over 101,600 seats to Saint Lucia – 43% of the total seats from the US. AA has also brought in roughly 80,000 passengers to Saint Lucia in 2019 (YTD November), which represents 40% of total passengers from the US.