Wednesday, June 23, 2010/

www.caribbeannetnews.com

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (JIS) -- The Bahamian-owned Western Air on Friday launched its inaugural direct flight from Sangster International Airport, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, to the Linden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas.

This launch comes on the heels of major successes with its inaugural Kingston route. Western Air, the largest privately owned airline in the Bahamas, responded to several calls by Jamaicans who are living in the country, due to the void left by Air Jamaica that had earlier suspended that route.

With an introductory rate of US$320 for a roundtrip, the airline departs Nassau at 9:30 a.m. with a scheduled arrival in Montego Bay at 10:30 a.m. It departs Montego Bay at 11:30 a.m. arriving in Nassau at 2:30 p.m.

Director of Operations for Western Air, Jennise Wedderburn, expressed appreciation to the Government of Jamaica for granting the airline the opportunity to provide flight service directly to Nassau, Bahamas from Jamaica.

"We are committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable air transport services and we thank you very much for the opportunity afforded us to do so," she said.

"As part of Western Air's expansion programme, we are presently constructing a US$4 million state-of-the-art terminal and maintenance facility at the Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, with a scheduled opening at the end of the Summer 2010. Upon completion of this complex, the facility will offer flight service from Freeport direct to Jamaica and will serve as the airline's northern hub facilitating the launch of the planned expansion into South Florida and the Northern Bahamas market," Wedderburn added.

She said that passengers travelling to the Bahamas will be able to connect to other parts of the country as Western Air offers daily services from Nassau to Freeport, Marsh Harbour, Congo Town and St Andros, among others.