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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — In a major development for regional travel and tourism, Minister of Tourism Hon. Marsha Henderson has confirmed that Caribbean Airlines’ decision to withdraw its St. Kitts service was made without prior consultation with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, even as officials now move swiftly to secure another airline partner to protect vital regional connectivity.

Speaking during a press conference at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Wednesday, May 28, Minister Henderson disclosed that the Government was not given the opportunity to engage Caribbean Airlines before the Trinidad and Tobago state-owned carrier announced its decision to discontinue service to the Federation.

“There were no discussions,” Henderson stated, making it clear that no formal consultation took place before the decision was taken. As a result, she explained, the Government had no opportunity to explore possible concessions or support arrangements with the airline before the withdrawal was announced.

The announcement has triggered concern among travellers, tourism stakeholders, business operators, students, and regional commuters who rely on air access between St. Kitts and the southern Caribbean, particularly Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

However, Minister Henderson sought to reassure the public that St. Kitts and Nevis will not be left stranded.

“We do have alternative services to those routes, so I don’t think we are left without an alternative,” she said.

According to the Minister, St. Kitts and Nevis currently has airlift into Barbados through carriers such as interCaribbean Airways and Winair, with onward connections available to Trinidad, Guyana, and other regional destinations. But she made it clear that the Government is not satisfied with merely indirect access and is actively working to restore direct connectivity to Trinidad.

“We already have lifts to Barbados via interCaribbean and Winair, with onward connections possible through the same carriers if persons wish to travel to Trinidad or Guyana,” Henderson explained.

She further revealed that discussions are already underway with another airline partner.

“We are in discussions — and I can’t say with whom just yet — with one of our partners to service the route onward to Trinidad,” Henderson said. “I can tell you that it’s not always what it appears.”

The Minister’s remarks suggest that there may be deeper issues behind Caribbean Airlines’ decision than the public has so far been told.

While Caribbean Airlines has cited financial losses and poor route performance as the reason for its pullout, Henderson hinted that other dynamics may have influenced the decision.

“While a lot is being said about the cost of servicing the routes, there are other dynamics involved in the decision taken — things above my pay grade,” she stated.

The Caribbean Airlines withdrawal comes amid reports that the carrier has been under significant financial pressure, with rising global fuel prices and wider international market disruptions affecting operational costs. The Trinidad and Tobago Government has moved to rationalize several underperforming routes as part of a broader review of the airline’s network.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Eli Zakour, recently told Parliament that a review by Caribbean Airlines’ Route Oversight Committee found that several routes launched under the airline’s 2023 expansion programme were not commercially sustainable.

The St. Kitts route, launched in 2023, reportedly recorded losses exceeding US$1.65 million as of April 2026. Dominica, another affected destination, reportedly saw losses of approximately US$730,000. The airline is also discontinuing or reducing service on other routes, including Guyana-to-Suriname, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, and Fort Lauderdale.

Zakour stated that the routes introduced under the expansion programme were launched “without adequate commercial justification” and had generated sustained financial losses. Collectively, the affected routes reportedly accounted for more than US$18.84 million in losses, equivalent to over TT$128 million.

Caribbean Airlines is expected to discontinue service to St. Kitts and Nevis and Dominica effective June 1.

For St. Kitts and Nevis, the timing is significant. Regional air connectivity remains a critical pillar of tourism, trade, family travel, education, medical access, sporting exchanges, and cultural movement across the Caribbean. The southern Caribbean market, particularly Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, remains strategically important to the Federation’s visitor economy.

Minister Henderson emphasized that maintaining those connections remains a priority.

“Currently, we don’t have a direct connection to Trinidad, but we do have direct connections to Barbados with onward connections to either Guyana or even Trinidad by existing carriers,” she said. “We are in discussion to have direct connection to Trinidad.”

The Minister’s update is likely to bring some reassurance to travellers, though uncertainty remains until the Government announces the new airline partner and confirms scheduling details.

Still, the message from the Tourism Ministry is clear: while Caribbean Airlines is pulling out, St. Kitts and Nevis is not standing still.

The Government says it is already negotiating to secure replacement service, protect access to key regional markets, and ensure that the Federation remains connected to the wider Caribbean despite CAL’s sudden exit.