Caribbean Travel News: Cuba to Ease Travel Restrictions

Cuba Lifts Travel Ban

Come January 14, 2013, the Cuban government will no longer require exit visas and invitation letters from foreign nationals for Cubans to leave the country. What that means is that for the first time in 52 years, Cubans can leave their country. This is good news that I know my friends in Cuba, and especially those abroad, will welcome.

Air Montserrat Grounded

A Fly Montserrat plane skidded off the runway at John Osborne Airport on Tuesday. Fortunately there were no injuries. This is the second mishap in less than two weeks for the carrier. On October 7th, a Fly Montserrat flight crashed after taking off from Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport killing the pilot and three passengers.

The airline has been grounded following this latest incident by the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA).

Bahamas Opens New International Terminal

Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport opened its new international terminal on Tuesday. The opening of the new terminal is phase of a planned three-stage $409-million redevelopment of the airport.

The first phase, the US Departures Terminal opened in March, 2011. The third and final stage, the new Domestic and International Departures and Domestic Arrivals Terminal is scheduled to open in Fall, 2013.

US Department of Transportation Investigates Caribbean Airlines

The United States Department of Transportation announced recently that it is investigating Caribbean Airlines, the Trinidad-based carrier, for keeping passengers delayed on the runway at New York’s JFK International Airport for nearly four and a half hours last August. The flight was bound for Piarco International Airport in the twin republic.

Under the Passenger’s Bill of Rights implemented in 2010 by the Obama administration, there are penalties of US$27,500 for each passenger who is stranded on international flights that are delayed on runways for four hours, three hours on domestic routes.

Grenada’s La Source to Close, 150 Jobs Lost

Citing unforeseen circumstances, Grenada’s La Source, a four-star resort, announced that it will close on Monday. The 100-room resort suffered heavy damage during 2004’s Hurricane Ivan. It reopened only in 2008. The closure will cause more than 150 workers to lose their jobs.

Grenada has experienced a 5 percent drop in arrivals in the first six months of 2012. Both Delta and American Eagle have canceled service to island, and American Airlines, British Airlines and LIAT, the regional carrier, have announced service cuts.