WEEKEND NEWS IN BRIEF--I LOVE IT

The Brits are Beating the Dutch in Tourism!

BERMUDA: British Caribbean territory sees 23 percent increase in tourist arrivals in 2006

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- The number of tourists vacationing in Bermuda in 2006 increased 23 percent from the previous year, the prime minister has said. Some 641,717 tourists visited the prosperous mid-Atlantic British territory in 2006, up from 521,024 in 2005, according to Premier Ewart Brown. "All arrows were pointing in the right direction as air, cruise and yacht arrivals were all up showing double-digit percentage point increases," said Brown, who is also the tourism minister.



Air arrivals reached their highest level in the last six years with a nearly 11 percent increase over 2005. Tourists also spent US$426.9 million (euro327.8 million), said Brown, who said the increase was due to measures the government took to reverse a trend of sustained decline.

Airport To Seek Other Carrier For
Boston If AA Cancels--ATA IS SURPRISED!?!

ORANJESTAD-American Airlines (AA) intention to cancel the Boston-Aruba route as of May 1st 2007 has surprised Aruba Airport Authority.


Spokesperson for Aruba Airport Authority, Ruben Trappenberg said that the high passenger load factor on AA flights between Boston and Aruba does not justify the suspension of flights as of May 1st. The airport is aware that the Boston route is operated seasonally by AA. The route is serviced from the end of the year until the middle of Spring, AA has done so last year and the year before, said Trappenberg.




Aruba Airport Authority does not know if the cancellation as of May 1st is seasonal or definitive. The airport will try to find another carrier to service Boston if AA decides to stop operating the route. The demand from Boston is great and continues to grow, the passenger load factor on the route is proof said Trappenberg. (If that were the case, then AA wouldn't consider cancelling flights. It's called supply and demand Ruben!)


The news of a possible cancellation of the New York-Aruba route by AA also surprised the Airport Authority. The possible cancellation has to do with aggressive competition from other carriers flying on that same route. One of the air carriers, JetBlue, began operating the route with daily flights 5 months ago. JetBlue recent announcement of two daily flights from JFK airport has AA concerned. (I think AA has more to be concerned about than 'blue light special' JetBlue!)