On Tuesday, Winair President and CEO Hans van de Velde announced that three weeks from now, the airline will begin flying directly between Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
“We start November 16, but we already see bookings coming in for the entire winter period. We have scheduled the same route for summer. If demand continues, we may add a third flight in summer,” said van de Velde.
Winair plans to operate flights between these destinations twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Van de Velde noted that Saint Lucia was highlighted as a desirable route during consultations. “When I arrived in Sint Maarten one and a half years ago, we had two 50-seat aircraft. But we already knew that in November 2024, a third one would be added and of course then we started to discuss what we are going to do with the aircraft. The first destination I heard was Saint Lucia. There are quite a number of people from Saint Lucia living in Sint Maarten and I know from personal experience trying to get here, it’s impossible,” van de Velde stated.
He believes this new service will benefit Saint Lucians residing in different countries in the region, as Winair serves 16 destinations across the Caribbean.
The route is also expected to attract international travellers. “If you look at Canada and America, of course there are direct connections to Saint Lucia, but not from all cities. Juliana Airport in Sint Maarten has by far the most connections in this region, so it creates new markets for the Saint Lucia tourism industry to profit from,” van de Velde explained.
He added that Winair’s routes typically see a balanced mix of international and local passengers.
Van de Velde also shared that there has already been strong interest from travellers in Paris and Amsterdam looking up flights to Saint Lucia via the airline.
Louis Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, said the service could revitalise regional travel to Saint Lucia.
“To put it into context, the Caribbean market was once as significant as the 3rd largest for us, but overtime, some of the challenges that we all know very well—like the high cost of inter-regional travel—it has actually slipped to about 5th place, and we have seen those numbers decline year after year. With the opening of the northern Caribbean islands, it gives us options and opportunities that don’t currently exist,” Lewis said.
Winair’s designated aircraft for this route can accommodate up to 50 passengers, which impacts ticket pricing. “Yes, flying in this region is expensive and there are a number of reasons for that. One is taxes. Taxes are relatively high and that’s not something the airline can do anything about. It’s not something we earn from, that’s the way it is, that’s the decision of the government” van de Velde said, asserting that many airlines in the region have struggled to survive, especially those attempting to offer low-cost flights. He says that for larger aircraft, while it is easier to reduce prices, with smaller planes, the costs are higher.
According to van de Velde, Winair’s 63-year history, its modern fleet, and approach to expansion contribute to the airline’s stability. “It means that we have been able to survive all the difficulties in the Caribbean, including hurricanes and COVID. Why is that? We are not overly ambitious, so we grow slowly. We don’t make the mistake of operating with old aircraft. Mistake is a big word but, if you are an airline … if you have an issue, [you need] to be able to solve that, and it’s easier with a sturdy, young aircraft.”
PHOTO:(L-R) Louis Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Hans van de Velde, President and CEO, Winair and Dhanash Ramdath, Consultant, Continuous Improvement
