Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) announced on Tuesday that the island will be the only anglophone Caribbean territory that will have a direct flight from Amsterdam via the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM).
According to a media release from BTMI, KLM will resume its flights from October 18 this year to Barbados after a successful first season of operations in winter 2021-22.
The Dutch national airline will resume operations with three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from Amsterdam to Barbados.
Thanks to the accessibility provided at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the KLM connection is particularly attractive for passengers from Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, and the Nordics.
Jens Thraenhart, cchief executive of the BTMI, expressed that he is looking forward to the return of this flight as it further positions Barbados as an accessible island for our European tourists.
“The European market is an important market to Barbados and our offices in Europe have been working to find ways to make accessibility to Barbados easier for our European visitors,” he said.
“With KLM currently operating out of 90 cities in Europe, the resumption of this flight to Barbados strategically places the island as a reachable hub for all.
“We are pleased at KLM’s confidence in building Barbados as a winter destination for its hub at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. We will be working on programmes in the market to support and defend this airlift and ensure we have a productive season.”
Emile Arnst, manager destination and tourism development at Air France-KLM, said: “We are happy to return to Barbados this winter season and to encourage exploration of this exotic gem in the Caribbean via our hub at Amsterdam.”
BTMI is especially pleased at the return of this flight as it returns in time for the annual Barbados Food & Rum Festival, which returns October 27 to 30.
It is a part of the activities slated for the winter season to add excitement to the calendar.
KLM will fly from 18 October to the end of March 2023 to Barbados.
In addition, BTMI recently launched an advertising campaign showcasing KLM as an airline partner at Schiphol Airport, and since July at Milan Malpensa Airport and on a dedicated tram in Amsterdam.
KLM will take off for Bridgetown with an A330-200 with a two-class configuration.
The flights depart from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 10:05 a.m. and arrive at Grantley Adams International Airport at 14:20 local time.
(AR)