The Hewanorra International Airport came alive as officials rolled out the red carpet, eagerly anticipating the return and arrival of Virgin Atlantic out of London Heathrow to Saint Lucia. The airline made its ceremonial call back to the aisles of paradise on Sunday, December 19, 2021, with VS221 Lady Love, an Airbus A330-300 from Virgin Atlantics unique fleet of aircraft.
Present at the ceremony were officials from the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and other industry partners, namely; Ministry of Tourism, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), and the St. Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA).
The flight’s arrival to Saint Lucia followed a decision to discontinue flights from Saint Lucia in June of 2020. Twenty-one months later, the island remains even more enthused to serve its partners of the Virgin Atlantic. Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, Dr. Ernest Hillaire, spoke on behalf of the Government and people of Saint Lucia.
He described this recommencement as a step forward in realizing the objectives of the tourism industry; he further expressed this move as an opportunity to develop a stronger relationship with the airline by ensuring the island continues to deliver a stellar service to passengers and crew.
Senior Manager of Business Development and Corporate Communications at SLASPA, Gasper George, called the day a momentous one for the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA). According to him, “not only has the island seen the return of the Virgin Atlantic to the airport’s parking apron, but also, the Hewanorra International Airport has marked the airport’s record numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The new service will operate three times a week on the A330-300 aircraft.