John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter 
SPIRIT AIRLINES, the largest privately-owned airline in the United States, has confirmed that it will begin offering non-stop flight service between Fort Lauderdale and Montego Bay and Kingston later this year.
This was announced on Thursday by representatives of the airline at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston. According to Marc Cavaliere, vice-president of sales and distribution, the aim of Spirit Airlines is to provide low-cost air service to those travelling to Jamaica from the U.S., as well as Jamaicans who want to connect to various cities in the U.S.
He said the decision to fly to Jamaica was predicated on factors such as "the total market demand of tourism from the United States coming southbound as well as the need to provide low-cost, low-fare air service to the growing population in Jamaica."
"We see what is going on with investments, we see what's going on with the economy. It is no mistake that we put two flights a day into Kingston rather than just one because we want to provide convenient schedules for the traveller," Mr. Cavaliere told The Sunday Gleaner.
The airline will start out with two flights per day from Kingston on December 15 and one flight per day from Montego Bay starting November 10.
PROSPECTS FOR SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS
Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill, said the decision by Spirit airlines to fly to Jamaica "holds prospects for significant benefits to Jamaica." He noted this "represents the first offering of year- round service by a major low-cost carrier to Jamaica (and) it has been established that low-fare, low-cost airlines have proven to stimulate air traffic and encourage commerce."
In commenting on the possible effects the new competition will have on the national airline, Air Jamaica, Minister Pickersgill indicated that the airline will have to adjust and make itself more competitive. He said this was not just because of the entrance of Spirit Airlines, but mainly because of current trends in the industry.
Kingston's Mayor, Desmond McKenzie said Spirit Airlines' service was "important to us, in terms of our vision of a city which once again will be able to utilise its historical and cultural resources to encourage the redevelopment of a vibrant tourism industry ..."
The airline is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and has been in operation for 15 years. The airline markets itself on the premise that it offers a safe, clean and reliable air transportation service at low costs. It currently offers air transportation to more than 15 cities in the U.S., as well as Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
