A labour of love: Caribbean Airlines launches Guadeloupe flights 

Brent Pinheiro 

brent.pinheiro@guardian.co.tt 

After years of paperwork filings, regulatory approvals, and a global pandemic, Trinidad and Tobago is now linked to the Spanish, English, Dutch, and French Caribbean in what Caribbean Airlines (CAL) CEO Garvin Medera calls a “labour of love.” CAL launched flights to its second French Caribbean destination, Guadeloupe, on Saturday.

9Y-TTJ, an ATR 72-600 operating as BW288, left Piarco International Airport two minutes ahead of schedule, bound for Guadeloupe. Among the passengers on board were CAL CEO Garvin Medera and Didier Chabert, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Trinidad and Tobago. 

Passengers disembark Caribbean Airlines’ inaugural service to Guadeloupe. Photo: Brent Pinheiro

The aircraft arrived at Guadeloupe’s Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport (PTP) just after midday, marking the start of a 4x weekly flight schedule via Dominica and St Lucia. After a traditional water cannon salute, officials and members of the press greeted passengers as they took their first steps on the “Butterfly Island.”

Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Medera speaks during the inaugural launch event. Photo: Brent Pinheiro

Medera told reporters the airline was pleased to connect Guadeloupe to the rest of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Airlines network. He said, “We have invested a significant amount, not just in terms of money but in terms of time. This route has been a long time coming. It’s really been a labour of love, going through the regulatory approvals, going through all the civil aviation [processes], etc., and even getting the extra aircraft and crew to support it.” According to Medera, the airline has expanded post-pandemic by dedicating the necessary resources.

On Tuesday, the local carrier launched 4x weekly flights to Martinique, both nonstop and via Barbados, adding 300 seats weekly to the market. The Guadeloupe route, also operating 4x weekly via Dominica and St Lucia, adds another 300 seats weekly to the market. This marks the first time Caribbean Airlines has added the French Caribbean to its network. 

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Trinidad and Tobago Didier Chabert speaks during a press conference at Guadeloupe’s Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport. Photo: Brent Pinheiro

Ambassador Chabert told Guardian Media that connectivity between all the islands in the region is important, and the new flight connection to the French Caribbean is a “huge step forward.” He encouraged students on both islands to take advantage of the opportunity for language and cultural exchanges.

Chabert also emphasised the economic benefit of connecting Guadeloupe and T&T, with Guadeloupe being a major economy in the French West Indies, and T&T a major economy in CARICOM. He said there is a great opportunity for T&T businesses to get their products into the French markets. “Guadeloupe and Martinique are export markets for Trinidad; for example, Carib beer is very popular in all of the French Antilles… Trinidad and Tobago can become a hub in the region for French products, and on the other side, Guadeloupe and Martinique can be the entry door for the products of Trinidad and Tobago to France,” Chabert explained. He added that he hopes to welcome a delegation of French businessmen to Trinidad soon and noted that the local chamber of commerce in Guadeloupe would be happy to host a delegation of T&T businessmen.

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