Although Delta’s flights to St. Croix from Atlanta were supposed to end the second week in May 2015, the Tourism Department announced in a Tuesday press release that the airline would continue those flights until Aug. 15, 2015. The flights commence in time for the winter tourism season on Dec. 20.
"Delta’s return to St. Croix is great news and adding more flights will positively impact the local economy," Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty said.
Delta’s return to St. Croix after an absence of several years was announced in June.
The weekly Saturday service will operate between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix.
In preparation for the new flights, the Tourism Department recently spent several weeks in Atlanta and in the Minneapolis feeder market educating consumers, travel agents, tour operators, the media and Virgin Islanders about the Delta service.
"To help attract more people to the Virgin Islands, we’re going back to Atlanta this month to continue spreading the word about travel to St. Croix with Delta’s increased flights," the commissioner said.
The service will operate on MD-88 aircraft with 149 seats, and is backed by a joint marketing strategy between the airline and the Tourism Department.
Flights are currently available for purchase. Visit www.delta.com for more information.
It is indeed wonderful to see more opportunity for flights in and out of the US Virgin Islands. That being said, if you want to make the travelers experience and impression of the islands better, especially St. Croix, please fix the terrible roads. The road out of the airport is in such poor repair, that dodging the potholes and cracks for visitors driving on the left for maybe the first time ever can be unnerving. The beauty from the planes approach into the island is breathtaking, but why should that feeling be so different by the first few miles, traveling to one’s destination via the road system? First impressions are what help people say I’m glad I came and I definitely want to come back.
The road is nothing compared to the stench of the dump on a good day, the butt of st croix flatulating at newcomers as a greeting of sorts.