SeaBorne Flies Into Melville Hall

Gary Foss President of SeaBorne Airlines believes it's a "dream come true" for his airline to be now filling the void recently created by American Eagle that stopped services to Dominica on March 31, 2013.

One of SeaBorne's aircrafts made its inaugural flight into Dominica's Melville Airport from Puerto Rico on April 1, 2013.

"It's not April fool…it is happening for real and we are here to stay," Foss said. "The potential of coming to Dominica was good and local government leaders (Benoit Bardouille and Colin Piper) played a key role in facilitating the process with a good vision".

St. Croix's, U.S. Virgin Islands-based Seaborne Airlines recently launched non-stop flights from San Juan to Guadeloupe and Martinique beginning April 1. Seaborne will offer service from San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin Airport to Dominica's Melville Hall Airport, Guadeloupe's Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport and Aime Césaire Airport in Martinique using 34-seat Saab turboprop aircraft.

Seaborne also announced its first interline arrangement with a major carrier, American Airlines. American will now offer connecting flights from San Juan for SeaBorne passengers, whose baggage will transfer between SeaBorne and American on the ramp at San Juan, rather than being re-checked with the other carrier.

Seaborne also recently relocated at Marin International Airport to be closer to American in Concourse D. In the coming days Seaborne will begin issuing boarding passes on American flights, and the carrier will also display and sell its flights on American's website.

With the new routes SeaBorne will operate more than 625 weekly departures to St. Croix, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola and Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands; and Puerto Rico. SeaBorne's operates a premium lounge at Marín International Airport offering seating and work areas, charging stations, light refreshments, Wi-Fi access, and satellite television.

"These additions are part of SeaBorne's rapid expansion across the Caribbean, with growth focused on providing new connecting service at San Juan, PR," said Foss.

According to Foss, a lot of other countries are scrambling for what Dominica now has.

"We have been receiving calls from all the countries where American Eagle has pulled out its services and for Dominica to have made this smooth transition is amazing," he continued.

SeaBorne, he said, prides itself for providing "on time services" and will continue to do just that in the Dominican market.

They are committed, he stated, to providing good promotional fares as they try and stimulate and grow the local market.

"We are now trying to pick up from where American Eagle left off and working closely with American Airlines and have some special programme with American Airlines on their web site that they are selling. We are also extending our special as it relates to ticketing and so have a special for Dominica which extends till April 30," Foss said.

He complimented the upgrade of the Melville Hall airport and added that the state of the airport played a pivotal role in SeaBorne's decision to do business on the island.

"It's a very beautiful airport... I am also delighted to add additional flights soon and even look at the possibility of night landing very soon," he stated. "We will soon be working with the various persons to see how we can help in a very corporate way in Dominica."