NASSAU, The Bahamas – JetBlue touched down at Lynden Pindling International Airport from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Saturday, November 4, 2023 — an inaugural flight.
The historic journey began when 106 passengers at LAX boarded JetBlue flight #2710, for the direct nonstop service from one busy hub to another.
The new direct service is poised to simplify travel between these two coasts, enhancing accessibility to The Bahamas, renowned for its pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters and vibrant culture.
This comes on the heels of a record-breaking year with 7.2 million visitors to The Bahamas – putting the country squarely on target to welcome more than 8 million visitors this year, as was reported by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper in the House of Assembly on Monday, October 30, 2023, during his contribution to The Resolution thanking the Governor General for the Speech from The Throne.
He confirmed that arrivals by air and sea, from January through the end of September 2023, numbered 7, 209,165. Of this record number of visitors, 1,332,752 came by air and 5,876,413 by sea; as total arrivals are outpacing 2019 by 33 percent.
The JetBlue arrival drew a flurry of excitement at LPIA as passengers were greeted and embraced in true Bahamian style, with wide friendly smiles, and a spirited and traditional Junkanoo performance. Among the officials were: the Minister of Economic Affairs, the Hon. Michael Halkitis; Dr. Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Tourism and Director of Aviation; Vernice Walkine, President & CEO, Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD); Erik Hildebrandt, Director of Domestic Cities, JetBlue; Nikia Deveaux-Christie, Director of Marketing, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board; Rissie Demeritte, General Manager, Ministry of Tourism.
“As we have seen today, this direct link between coasts will open doors for countless travellers to experience the beauty, warmth and rich heritage of our country without the hassle of multiple connections,” said Deputy Prime Minister Cooper in a pre-recorded interview.
“We are thrilled to continue welcoming passengers on the new JetBlue service, ensuring their arrival to our shores is nothing short of extraordinary,” he added.
JetBlue executives said that the airline was excited about the new service, which will allow the airline to expand its network and international presences in the Caribbean, and open a direct option to Nassau regarded as a world class and popular destination.
The direct flights will operate once weekly, departing both Los Angeles and Nassau on Saturdays at 7 a.m. and 4:42 p.m., respectively.
