St Kitts and Nevis is in discussions with another airline to establish a direct route to Trinidad and Tobago following Caribbean Airlines’ decision to end its service on June 1.

Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson confirmed the development during a media conference on May 28, saying the government was already exploring alternative airlift options.

While Henderson did not identify the airline involved in the discussions, she said the carrier was “eager and excited” to operate direct flights to Trinidad, unlike the current Caribbean Airlines service which includes a stop in Barbados.

The announcement comes days after Eli Zakour told the Senate in Trinidad and Tobago on May 22 that Caribbean Airlines would discontinue its routes to St Kitts, Dominica and the Ogle, Guyana to Suriname service because of continued financial losses.

The airline is also reducing flights to Martinique and Guadeloupe.

According to Zakour, the affected routes generated combined losses of approximately US$18 million, with the St Kitts route alone accounting for US$1.65 million in losses.The latest cuts continue a series of route reductions by Caribbean Airlines over the past year.

In September 2025, the airline discontinued flights between Jamaica’s two major airports and Fort Lauderdale, citing weak passenger demand. Months later, it also ended services to Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands and closed its Barbados crew base.

When CAL leaves, the minister said travellers from Trinidad will still be able to fly to St Kitts as interCaribbean and Winair offers service between the southern Caribbean island and Basseterre with one stop in either Barbados or St Maarten.

Speaking on the decision to cut the St Kitts route, Henderson suggested there may have been factors beyond financial losses influencing Caribbean Airlines’ move.

“Much is being said about the cost of servicing the routes. There are other dynamics as well in the decision taken. Things above my pay grade,” she said.

Henderson also revealed that no representatives from Caribbean Airlines, which is jointly owned by the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, held discussions with St Kitts and Nevis before the decision was made.

“There were no discussions, and as such, there were no offers as it relates to a Minimum Revenue Guarantee. However, we do have an alternative service to the routes, so I don’t think we are left without an alternative,” she added.