AIRLINE charters to Jamaica tripled in June over last year as airlines continued to offer travel and hotel packages despite the State of Emergency.

There were 17 permits granted in June versus four in June 2009, according to data from the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA). Half of the chartered flights were to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay which is the tourist capital, and the remainder to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston which is the business centre.

It’s a curious statistic and could reflect increased airlift despite pronouncements by officials of expected declines in visitor arrivals for June. Or simply that charter airlines (which are aircraft for hire on a non-scheduled basis) increased to fill reduced scheduled flights by carriers. Officials at the JCAA were unable to comment up to print. The hotel lobby-the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and the state-run Jamaica Tourist Board when contacted ultimately referred the Business Observer back to the JCAA.

Charter flights offer access to destinations unserviced by major carriers especially during slow periods. But also provides privacy and tailored services for both the budget and luxury flyer. The airlines that received permits in June are largely unknown domestically but include market leaders in the charter business. They included Air Transat from Toronto to Kingston; Aerocaribbean SA from Havana to Kingston; Sky Limo from Panama City to Kingston; Miami Air International from Miami to Kingston; Sky Bahamas from Nassau to Kingston and Montego Bay; Canjet Airlines from Montreal/Toronto to Montego Bay; Air Transat from Toronto to Montego Bay; Sunwing Airlines from Montreal to Montego Bay; and Thomas Cook Airlines from London Gatwick to Montego Bay.

But it isn’t only June that is up. Year to date (January to June) airline charters to Jamaica increased 40 per cent over last year at 77 versus 55. Most of the charters came from the US at 25, followed by the Caribbean at 23, the UK at 12, and Canada at 10.

Airlines including Iberworld, Sunwing and Thomson Air are part of larger travel group which offered hotel bookings along with charter flights on their websites. Thomson Air and Riu Hotel are part of the TUI Travel group; and Sunwing Airlines is owned by the Sunwing Travel Group, a travel consortium that also owns tour operators Sunwing Vacations and Red Seal Vacations. Iberworld Airline was sold to the Spanish-based Orizonia Group in 2006, it was formerly owned by Grupo Iberostar.

In July the JHTA told this newspaper at its weekly Monday Exchange meeting that Kingston’s tourism industry was still heavily impacted by the West Kingston upheaval in May, which resulted in occupancy at some city hotels being down to as much as zero per cent due to cancellations. The State of Emergency, which began late May to the end of July resulted in the killing of over 70 civilians in Tivoli Gardens over two days in an attempt by security forces to issue a warrant to former Tivoli strongman, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.