Janet Silvera, Senior Tourism Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

At the same time, the airline has responded to passenger demand and will increase the number of flights it operates out of select destinations this Christmas season.

Effective January 10, flight JM021, which originates in Kingston will depart the Norman Manley International Airport at 6:35 a.m. the aircraft will pick up passengers at Sangster International Airport for Miami for a 7:45 a.m. departure, arriving in Miami at 9:00 a.m.

The national carrier has moved to fill the void left by American Airlines when it pulled the only early morning flight out of Montego Bay into Miami months ago.

The region has since been left with the option of a noon departure into South Florida and this has been a great inconvenience for the business traveller, who wants to get into that state early, conduct business and get out by late afternoon.

"We have been having a lot of queries regarding an early morning flight from the people who wants to travel at that time," Lorna Pitter, manager of Tropical Travel Service told the Sunday Gleaner. She said it was a good move by the airline and a welcome addition to the current flight schedule.

According to Premier Travel's managing director, Vee Redpath, this revamping of the schedule is badly needed, as she has had challenges connecting passengers on to ongoing flights because of the late arrival options that they are now faced with. "We are very excited by this news," she said.

Extra round-trip flight

For the Christmas season, Air Jamaica senior vice-president of marketing, Paul Pennicook, disclosed that on December 19, 20, 22 and 23, there will be one extra round-trip flight daily between New York's JFK and Kingston. The New York flight will depart JFK at 7:00 a.m. to arrive Kingston at 10:40 a.m. On the return leg, it will depart Kingston at 11:30 a.m. to arrive JFK at 3:30 p.m.

And to accommodate the demand on the Toronto/Kingston route, on December 21 and 22 there will be one extra round trip flight each day. In addition, the airline will operate three charters from Toronto and Miami to accommodate farm and hotel workers who are returning home for the holidays.