St. George’s, April 5, 2010 (GIS) – Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, Glynis Roberts, has said that preparations are continuing for welcoming Delta Airlines on its inaugural flight to Grenada in two months. 

“We are working very hard to ensure that the inaugural flight comes into Grenada on June 5,’’ said Hon. Roberts, who has also expressed satisfaction with the recent airlift services of Air Canada, American Airlines (AA) and British Airways (BA).

From the end of last December to April 15, 2010, Air Canada was 100 percent filled to capacity every time it flew into Grenada, Minister Roberts said. “They are looking to put on an additional flight next year,’’ she announced.

American Airlines, she said, was “almost full every time’’ AA came each of three times weekly, said the Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister.

For British Airway, it is now coming to Grenada on a Sunday, with a stopover in Barbados. BA is adding an extra flight for the summer, Hon. Roberts said.

The minister has also confirmed that a Grenada Board of Tourism (GBT) investigation into an incident last year involving Sunwing Airlines had been completed and submitted to cabinet.

The investigation was launched after the failure of GBT officials to welcome Sunwing on its inaugural early morning visit to Grenada. It reportedly happened even though GBT director William Joseph, and Public relations Officers Edwin Frank, were at the airport waiting to take the outbound Sunwing return flight to Toronto.

Mr. Joseph was subsequently suspended for two weeks, allegedly for speaking to the Sunwing issue, defying a GBT order that no comment should be made while the investigation was ongoing.

Sunwing has since run into trouble with travel industry authorities in Canada and no longer flies to Grenada.

Hon. Roberts described the absence of an official welcoming reception for Sunwing Airlines as “unfortunate.’’

The minister said she has responded to the GBT report by writing its chairman, Richard Strachan, expressing concern that an inaugural welcome – “something that we were accustomed doing’’ – did not occur with Sunwing Airlines.

“What has happened was unfortunate based on all the different scenarios. But I think it’s time for us to move on,’’ Minister Roberts said.

 Editor note:  A check at www.delta.com indicates that the price of Delta will average over $900.oo per ticket about $250.00 more than the price Air Jamaica offered.