Continental Airlines on Wednesday announced its 26th Caribbean destination, offering service between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Providenciales International Airport (PLS), on the Turks and Caicos Islands. The route is offered in cooperation with United Continental Holdings.
“We are pleased to offer convenient access to Providenciales, a world-class get-away and an exciting new addition to the list of Caribbean destinations served by Continental and United,” said John Slater, United Airlines vice president of sales.
The new nonstop flights will begin on February 18 after receiving government approval. In the beginning, flights will operate four times per week, on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. However, it will eventually convert to a daily service on March 6.
United Continental Holdings and Continental Airlines will provide its new service using a Boeing 737-800 with a seating capacity of 160 passengers. From this amount, 16 seats are in first class and the 144 others in economy class.
“Our merger allows us to offer new flights to new destinations as we begin to efficiently utilize the combined fleet of both carriers,” Slater added.
The new service will complement the combined airlines’ services to other Caribbean leisure destinations such as Aruba, Punta Cana and Nassau. Providenciales, also known as Provo, is a popular vacation spot of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Geographically, Provo is part of the Bahamas chain of islands but it pertains to the Turks and Caicos Islands, a separate nation consisting in over 40 islands and cays. Providenciales features the 12-mile (19-kilometer) white-sand Grace Bay Beach, considered as one of the best beaches in the world.
Providenciales’ visitors can enjoy the island’s coral reef; water sports such as diving, snorkeling and fishing; golf; a marine park; the world’s first conch farm; and luxury hotels, villas and spas.
