Caribbean Airlines resumed direct flights between Piarco and Caracas, Venezuela, on May 13, after three years.

Garvin Medera, executive director of CAL, and Alvaro Sanchez Cordero, ambassador of Venezuela, attended a small ceremony to celebrate the maiden flight at the Caribbean Club Lounge in Piarco.

An ATR 72-600 aircraft, which can carry 68 passengers, made the first flight on the new route, BW 300.

The plane left Piarco at 9.45am and landed in Maiquetia, Caracas, one hour 36 minutes later.

Medera said: “We are excited to resume our operations in Caracas and expand our network to the Eastern Caribbean. Our passengers have been looking forward to the restart of Caracas and the general expansion of our network, and we are delighted to meet their expectations.”

Madera said the idea is to expand operations to other destinations.

CAL is the second airline to resume flights between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, which were shut down because of the covid19 pandemic. On April 6, Venezuelan airline Rutaca Airlines restarted Piarco-Margarita shopping tourism flights.

"This direct flight we are reopening today will contribute to deepening the bilateral relationship between TT and Venezuela, as well as raising the levels of co-operation, fundamental ingredients for the development of both countries," said Sánchez Cordero.

Edmund Dillon, TT ambassador in Venezuela, waited for the flight in Maiquetia to welcome the passengers.

Round-trip tickets to Caracas cost from US$572. CAL's website says tickets for further flights will be available from mid-June.

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