BWIA launches new regional freight service

BWIA has launched a full  intra-Caribbean freighter service. The first cargo shipment of some 1,800 kilos was moved between Trinidad and Tobago on July 11. The new service will operate on a two-hub system, where goods will be moved to several destinations via Trinidad and Barbados on Mondays and Tuesdays in the first phase. In addition to Caricom destinations of Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent, the service will also satisfy the needs of the French island of Martinique. Chief Executive Officer, Nelson Tom Yew, said of the new service, “This is a very exciting development for BWIA and for freight transportation within the Caribbean as a whole. “It is indicative of BWIA’s commitment to provide the full range of air transportation services to, from and now within the Caribbean. “I am particularly pleased that for the first time in BWIA’s history, we are able to provide a freighter service from Trinidad to Tobago,” added Tom Yew.

Michael Clarke, the airline’s director of cargo, said the new service, “will encourage the movement and facilitate the trans-shipment of cargo from Europe, North America and among the islands of the region, thereby assisting in further developing our economies.” “The freighter also expands BWIA’s network and affords manufacturers and industries an avenue to increase their business exports, which was previously hindered by lack of freight capacity,” added Clarke. The airline is confident that as the operation gains momentum the schedule will grow to meet the demand. The new service is part of the ongoing initiatives to create new revenue streams to complement and expand the airline’s existing network. A wet-leased Russian-built Antonov AN26 aircraft, with a capacity of 5,500 kilos, is being used for the service. This aircraft is ideally suited to land at the smaller airports in the region.