Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) will begin a twice-weekly service to Grenada, taking over the route previously serviced by Air Jamaica, whose operation it acquired this year.

In April, the Jamaican Govern-ment acquired a 16 per cent stake in CAL as part of the condition for the Port-of-Spain-based airline taking over the lucrative routes of Air Jamaica.

The new Grenada service will begin on November 10.

"This new route continues the much-anticipated expansion of CAL into the Caribbean region. We gain operational flexibility when we switch this route to operate from Trinidad," said CAL chief executive officer Captain Ian Brunton.

"In fact, we are realising the synergies that we spoke about earlier this year when we took over the Air Jamaica operations in May. The provision of critical connectivity from various Carib-bean islands to major North American destinations is one objective that Caribbean Airlines continues to fulfill."

Chairman of the Airlift Committee Michael McIntyre said that "the most important thing for us in Grenada is that there is now an alternative to get into Trinidad from Grenada and also return within a short period.

"Our feet are in the door so it's up to us to see the opportunities to connect to other cities such as Toronto and Miami," he added.

- CMC