Following Delta's announcement, American will inagurate daily, non-stop service between Miami and St. Lucia Hewanorra on 1 November 2004:

AA 2599 MIA 1000-1425 UVF
AA 2598 UVF 1525-1820 MIA

Service will operate with a 737-800. This will be in addition to American Eagle's three daily flights between San Juan and St. Lucia's Vigie Field (SLU). American Airlines previously operated MIA-UVF service in the late 1990s, but discontinued it, I believe, in protest of landing fees.

Great news. It's always good to hear new services from AA's hub in MIA, and even better if they're to Latin America or to the Caribbean. Hope it keeps that way.

The flight, as I see, leaves pretty early to catch the majority of connecting passengers from international destinations though. MAH, do you think it could affect in someway the performance of the route? or are all the other Caribbean routes from MIA scheduled around this hour?


Anyway, thanks a lot for the info.


SOUTHAMERICA

The flight, as I see, leaves pretty early to catch the majority of connecting passengers from international destinations though. MAH, do you think it could affect in someway the performance of the route? or are all the other Caribbean routes from MIA scheduled around this hour?

It will not affect performance at all. This is meant to get connections from domestic passengers. Most Caribbean destination's from Miami have multiple dailies, but those that do not, like CUR and STX, also have early departures.

Yeah, this is very good news for AA make added new flight to UVF and which one is current with American Eagle from SJU flight already. It is completition of other airlines was flew to St. Lucia service. Thanks for info with their news, MAH4546!  

I thought that AA at one time had service to UVF maybe in the early-mid 90's, but then pulled out. But I don't remember the exact reason they did stop the service. I thought it had to do with disagreements b/t AA and the St. Lucian gov't regarding certain concessions to the airline. Anyone have any further info about prior mainline service to UVF and why they stopped?

EDIT: Just read the last part of MAH4546's first post. So it was landing fees that were the problem? Will it be less now or is AA going to bite the bullet this time around?

[Edited 2004-02-07 23:08:08]

St. Lucia has become the honeymoon central of the caribbean over the past 10 years. It's surprising that there was no way to get there on a jet other than Air Jamaica via MBJ until delta decided to do it.. now AA.

Good I say... Hoever, You couldn't pay me enough however to sleep in one of those well "broken in" beds that reside in all those Sandals resorts on that island.

"Oh look honey, they starched the sheets for us!"

"umm.. yeah... starch"

It is nicer to have jet service to the island, true, and UVF is a much nicer facility when compared to SLU, but since the majority of the more popular "all inclusive" resorts are in Castries and surrounding areas, honeymooners will now have to brave the treacherous road to Castries! There was a Club Med that was a hop, skip, and jump away from UVF, but closed its doors 1-2yrs ago. I think there are plans to build a new resort in its place.

It's surprising that there was no way to get there on a jet other than Air Jamaica via MBJ until delta decided to do it.. now AA.

US Airways has offered jet service to UVF since 2001. It operates PHL-UVF twice weekly.

AASilverbird, I worked with AA till they left the island in 1999, the official line was that the flight was no longer viable and additionally the government was resisting the idea of a continued subsidy (approx 1.5M ) for the airline to continue flying. Landing fees were not the issue, I believe back then the government would have gladly waived the fees to keep such a major airline flying into the island if that was the issue. Economically they really could not afford to keep AA at such a cost.