cayman airways flights to roatan

Cayman Airways Limited (CAL) will begin twice-weekly Boeing 737 nonstop flights between Grand Cayman and Roatan (RTB) beginning March 16, 2017. Cayman Airways currently operates year-round flights from Grand Cayman to La Ceiba, Honduras twice-weekly, and the airline’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Phillip Rankin CPA, says the expansion into Roatan with twice-weekly service will build on the already-established synergies with the Honduras market. “It will definitely be a positive step for both countries so we’re looking forward to starting this service in March,” he said. “The new Roatan twice-weekly service will further enhance direct and connecting travel opportunities for both business and leisure travelers.” Cayman Airways President and CEO, Mr. Fabian Whorms, said: "The introduction of an in-transit processing facility at the Owen Roberts International Airport in 2015 facilitated our ability to develop Grand Cayman as a convenient hub, and more and more we see passengers to and from Honduras taking advantage of our easy connections to and from Miami and other gateways. Building on that growth, we are optimistic that the connections that will be available between Roatan and several gateways in our network, will ensure the success of this route.”

- caymanairways.com

Cayman Airways flies to/from the following major US cities: Miami and Tampa, Florida; Washington DC; New York, New York; and Chicago, Illinois.

air panama: san josé to roatan starting in november

An alliance between Air Panama and the Honduras’ Tourism Board will allow Costa Ricans to travel from San José to Roatán in Honduras with just one stop in Panama. This possibility will be available with two flights a week, Thursdays and Sundays during high season, starting November 15 and extending through February 28, 2017. “The two times a week frecuency allows the Costa Rican public to buy packages of three, four or seven nights and get to know this destination during the summer time”, said Maru Gálvez, Strategy Manager at Air Panama.

- The Costa Rica Star

Obviously, the same flight will serve passengers from Panama City's Tocumen International Airport (PTY) as well.

air transat: quebec city to roatan starting in december

There’s another new way to get to the Caribbean island of Roatan. Canadian tour operator Transat, has announced plans to add direct flights from Quebec City to Roatan beginning in December. That’s in addition to Spirit’s existing flights from Montreal and Toronto to Roatan. Transat Tours and Sunwing Vacations already offer flights to Honduras from major Canadian cities, having sold an estimated 15,000 packages to Honduras.

- Caribbean Journal 

roatan international airport

I recently sought and received special permission to visit the control tower at Roatan International Airport (RTB). The tower sits on a hill just behind the airport facilities. Its location affords it a nearly complete view of the entire length of the seaside runway. According to Wikipedia, "the airport resides at an elevation of 12 m (39 ft) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 07/25 with an asphalt surface measuring 2,395 by 45 meters (7,858 ft × 148 ft)." While still rather rare landings, the flight traffic controllers said that the airport's runway is capable of handling aircraft as large as the Boeing 767-200ER. Flights using these large aircraft have been dual-destination charter operations from Europe that offload the bulk of their passengers -- and cargo weight -- in Cancun, Mexico or La Havana, Cuba and then finalize their transatlantic hauls in Roatan.

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

roatan international

I ran across this great photo of Roatan's airport (airport code RTB) on the website airliners.net. The runway at RTB measures 2,240 by 45 meters (7,349 × 148 ft) allowing the island's airport to service aircraft as large as Boeing 767s. During the European high season, charter flights from both Milan, Italy and Spain use equipment of this size. The most common large aircraft observed here, however, are United's and Delta's Boeing 737-800s regularly used for their respective non-stop service to the island from Houston (IAH) and Atlanta. In this picture, the Mahogany Bay cruise terminal can be seen in the background.

It is my understanding that this world-class airport infrastructure was largely financed and built by Spain. Yes, Spain! Perhaps the Spanish have recently felt twinges of historical 'guilt' for having plundered (some use the perhaps more appropriate word raped) their former Central American, South American, and Caribbean colonies of many valuable, easily-harvested natural resources (gold, silver, valuable minerals, precious stones, exotic tropical timber, cash crops, etc.; carrying out this brutal, savage, blood-soaked exploitation nearly always in combination with the unspeakable, Church-condoned and -enabled true abomination that was slavery and other forms of forced human labor).

Just a smidgin of historical knowledge of the horrors of the colonial period in the Americas makes one realize that the massive number (up to 95% percent in some areas) of indigenous New World people who rapidly succumbed to the region-wide epidemics of 'European diseases' were the lucky ones. The word genocide barely begins to describe the soul-shattering hell that was colonial North, Central, and South America for the native (pre-European) people of these lands. When the natives were decimated by massacres, disease, and/or relentless labor, the carnage continued with their replacements: West African slaves.

Perhaps the humanitarian Scandinavian and the perpetually guilt-ridden German diplomats in Brussels have influenced (twisted the arms of?) Spanish EU officials into acknowledging their nation's colonial "wrongs," and suggested the Iberians initiate the necessary karmic process of attempting to somehow make amends and somewhat neutralize these unfortunate historic grievances. The more bitter and cynical among us might also conclude this beautiful airport is simply the result of a multinational conspiracy of political corruption and multimillion dollar contractor kickbacks (Wall Street-style capitalism?). As always, the answer is, at the very least, some combination of 'All the above.'

Regardless of the reason, in the last three decades, successive Spanish governments (from both sides of the political spectrum) have made significant reparations-type infrastructure investments in various 'offspring states' in Central and South America. These actions of recognition, solidarity, and brotherhood with the largely 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind' inhabitants of their former colonies have given me a newfound respect and esteem for the Spanish people. In the particular case of Roatan's airport, one thing I know absolutely is that I'm grateful.

Gracias por nuestro hermoso aeropuerto, hermanos españoles!

Photo: Nelson Mejía.