Sangster International Airport on Monday (November 1) welcomed United States (US)-based Frontier Airlines’ inaugural flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Montego Bay in St James.
Frontier’s Airbus A320 touched down at 8:39 a.m. with 49 passengers on board, including crew members, in what was a direct two-and-a-half-hour flight from the US to Jamaica.
Manager of Commercial Development and Marketing at MBJ Limited, operators of Sangster International Airport, Sharon Hislop-Holt, told journalists that Frontier Airlines now joins Delta as the only direct flights from Atlanta to Montego Bay.
“This is great for passengers. Competition is what drives the business and so it is all about getting the best value for money for persons coming to Montego Bay and Jamaica as well as for travelling in general,” she argued.
Mrs. Hislop-Holt said that MBJ has been working with new and existing airlines over the years and indicated that Frontier Airlines answered the call amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to commence new flight routes and services.
“We are very happy that Frontier commenced a new service in the pandemic, just when we reopened earlier this year with a Miami route. So, we were very happy for that and then we continued negotiations with them until they decided to start the Atlanta route,” she noted.
“Tomorrow (November 2) we will actually see the commencement of another route from Frontier. So, during the pandemic, we would have seen three newer services from Frontier, which we are actually very happy to know that the airline sees the confidence in the market,” she added.
Passenger, Akeela Miller, said it was a “nice flight” home to visit her family and friends.
Ms. Miller, who is Jamaican born, noted that Frontier Airlines offers one of the more affordable trips to Jamaica, which was a “smooth and a really good experience”.
Couple, Bart and Victoria Underwood, who also made their inaugural trip to Jamaica, was pleased with their flight.
“It was fine, new and it was a quick flight. Easy on, easy off. We are here for a week, it’s our second honeymoon. I love reggae music [and] I just wanted to be here on the beach,” Mrs. Underwood said.