AA back on schedule for Ian Fleming Int’l
Published:Friday | October 20, 2023 | 12:11 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA) has signalled its intention to operate two weekly flights between its Miami International Airport (MIA) hub and the Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ) in Ocho Rios/Boscobel as of February 2024.
This new date comes a year after the US carrier postponed plans to fly into the Ian Fleming airport, owing to concerns regarding safety and reliability.
The Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) has since fixed the issues, constructing a new terminal building equipped with courtesy lounges and additional navigation systems.
Ocho Rios will be the airline’s third destination in Jamaica, and AA will become the only US carrier serving the resort area.
The carrier will operate an Embraer 175 aircraft with capacity for 76 passengers.
According to José A. Freig, AA vice-president for international operations, after more than 45 years of service to Jamaica, they are excited to continue expanding their service in the country.
“With this new route, we further strengthen our position as the leading airline in Jamaica, operating this winter more than 100 weekly flights to the US,” he said a press release.
The Ocho Rios/Boscobel flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, departing Miami at 10:05 a.m., arriving at 11:03 a.m., and departing 11:43 a.m., arriving at 2:32 p.m. in the North American gateway.
The launch will complement the airline’s robust Jamaican schedule, which will reach more than 100 peak hours weekly, offering service to Kingston from Miami and to Montego Bay from MIA, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, New York, and Philadelphia.
In April last year, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett described AA’s move to fly into the Ian Fleming airport as a game-changer.
“This is a very valuable addition to the aviation needs of Jamaica, with non-stop service between the United States and our country’s third international airport,” Bartlett said. “It is a great start and will encourage other airlines to fly into the Oracabessa/Ocho Rios area.”
He noted that this would also be a huge plus to the region and also greatly assist in boosting the tourism-development potential for St Mary and Portland and connecting many members of the diaspora closer to home.
Ocho Rios is one of five resort towns in Jamaica and home to some of the major hotels such as Moon Palace, Sandals Ocho Rios, Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica Inn, Riu Ocho Rios, and Sandals Dunn’s River.
Several attractions call the resort town home as well, including the world-famous Dunn’s River Falls, Mystic Mountain, Dolphin Cove, Konoko Falls, and White River Rafting.
American Airlines is the world’s largest airline when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passenger mile and is the largest mover of people in and out of Jamaica.