The St. Kitts Tourism Authority announced that British Airways will be commencing a new direct flight from London Gatwick Airport to St. Kitts, marking the first time the airline will offer service to this Caribbean island.  The flight will operate once a week on Saturdays, beginning on January 10, 2009.

British Airways flight BA2157 will depart London Gatwick at 10:30a.m. and arrive into St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport at 4:45 p.m the same afternoon.  The return flight BA2256 will depart St. Kitts at 6:15 p.m. and arrive into London Gatwick at 7:50 a.m. on Sunday morning.  British Airways will operate a 272-seat, 777-200 Boeing aircraft in a three-class configuration with 36 Club World business class seats, 24 World Traveller Plus seats and 212 World Traveller (economy) seats.  Flights in both directions will operate through Antigua and are listed in local times.

“These new flights from British Airways allow visitors from the UK and Eastern Europe to travel to and from St. Kitts more easily,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture.  “The addition of this new service during a time of global economic challenges and widespread route cuts from US and international carriers should be applauded and seen as a testament to the quality of St. Kitts’ tourism product.  This continued growth in airlift to St. Kitts is directly related to the economic development taking place in our country and increasing demand from sophisticated international travelers.”

“British Airways is delighted that St. Kitts will now become the eleventh destination in the Caribbean and we look forward to working with our tourism and local travel partners to grow our business from the UK and St. Kitts markets,” said Diane Corrie, British Airways’ Commercial Manager Caribbean.

The new British Airways service follows directly on the heels of the increase in American Airlines’ non-stop flights from Miami to daily service, the commencement of Delta Air Lines’ February 2008 non-stop Saturday service start-up from Atlanta, and the start of the November 2007 twice weekly non-stop American Airlines service to St. Kitts from JFK on Wednesdays and Sundays.