Barbados to welcome first direct flight from Scotland

Barbados is set to become Scotland’s only direct route to the Caribbean come December 5, as Virgin Atlantic launches a service from Edinburgh to Bridgetown.

The new flight connecting Scotland to Barbados will operate twice weekly, Wednesday and Sunday.

Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins welcomed the announcement, saying: “The fact that this new route is Scotland’s only direct flight to the Caribbean is something that fills everyone in Barbados with great pride. This will also be the first time that Virgin Atlantic has flown international flights from Edinburgh, so it really is a very important moment in history for both Scotland and Barbados. We look forward to showing Scottish travellers that Barbados is a safe destination, which is ready and waiting for them to enjoy.”

“The establishment of this new service will offer even more connectivity options for Scottish holidaymakers, business travellers and residents. We are pushing for the diversification of routes, the airlift to support those routes, and new destinations that can partner with Barbados on multi-destination marketing and partnerships; so this is in line with that policy direction for Barbados and something that we will continue to build out,” she added.

Edinburgh Airport is Scotland’s largest and busiest airport, serving more than 12 million passengers per year.

Nikki Goldsmith, Head of Caribbean at Virgin Atlantic, said Barbados is Virgin Atlantic’s heartland in the Caribbean.

“Not only have we significantly increased capacity to the island with the introduction of our newest plane, the A350, but we’re delighted to be flying from three regional gateways, of London, Manchester and our new home in Scotland, Edinburgh. Our new flights mean more customers than ever before get to experience the stunning beaches, equisetic cuisine and rich culture that Barbados has buckets of,” Goldsmith said.

Scotland’s Minister for Transport Graeme Dey also welcomed the news of Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to Scotland and the launch of its new service to Barbados from Edinburgh.

“It is encouraging to see airlines develop their connectivity to Scotland at this time and I am sure this news will be welcomed by passengers,” he said. (PR/BT)