Negotiations between Barbados, the Africa Export-Import Bank, and Air Peace could lead to the commencement of a direct route between Barbados and Nigeria as soon as the second half of the year.
Barbados' Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador, David Comissiong, disclosed that negotiations between the Africa Export-Import Bank and Nigeria's Air Peace were going well. If successful, the island could see the commencement of the direct route to Africa.
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Connecting the Caribbean to Africa
Speaking to the media at an event to celebrate Ghana's 66th Anniversary at Ilaro Court recently, the ambassador described the multi-billion-dollar bank as an African partner of real substance and resources. Afreximbank is a pan-African multilateral trade finance institution headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
The ambassador stressed that the bank had been partnering with the island and negotiating with the African airlines to make flights from the continent a reality. Although the deal has not been sealed, David Comissiong said he was looking forward to the start of the twice-weekly flight from Lagos;
“Hopefully, before the middle of the year, we’re going to have that direct airline license, not between Ghana and Barbados, but it’s likely to be between Lagos, Nigeria, and Barbados twice a week. So, once we can get on that plane at Grantley Adams International Airport and fly across the Atlantic to Lagos, that is just a short journey from Lagos to Accra, Ghana,”
CARICOM Ambassador also says that he is impressed with the seriousness with which Afreximbank does anything it commits to. Having been told that the deal looks promising, he is confident that the flights will materialize before the end of the first half of this year.
InterCaribbean flights from Barbados
InterCaribbean Airways plans to add more flights between Grenada and Barbados starting March 16. The airline will add more frequencies on the route, scaling operations from a 30-seat Embraer 120 to a 48-seat ATR 42.
Barbados is the second-highest tourism destination for Grenada. InterCaribbean is dedicated to performing its critical role in developing the region's economies and enriching the lives of its citizens by ensuring connectivity.
The partnership with Grenada is borne out of the airline's desire to serve the needs of the people by exceeding its air travel expectations. InterCaribbean Airways Chairman Lyndon Gardiner said in a statement;
“Grenada has a creative economy that thrives on its tourism and its educational services, all attractive to the would-be traveler. InterCaribbean is proud of its accomplishments in helping to further the government’s thrust to develop these and other areas. There is power and prosperity in partnership.”
The expanded route also means more access to Barbados and Grenada's international network. Grenada Tourism Authority CEO Petra Roach expressed her gratitude to the airline for its continued and unwavering support of Grenada. According to the Caribbean Journal, she said;
"We were challenged with the lack of capacity on the Grenada-Barbados route, which has slowed down the rebound of the Caribbean market, and they worked collaboratively with us to find a viable solution. Our work is not done, and we expect that in short shrift, the frequency of the operation will increase to twice daily."
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Source: Caribbean Journal