On September 30, regional Caribbean carrier Trans Anguilla Airways celebrated the official opening of its new fixed office at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, marking a major milestone in the homegrown airline’s 26-year history of serving the Eastern Caribbean. The expansion formalizes the carrier’s long-standing presence in the federation, where it has operated scheduled flights since 2013.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together senior public and private sector stakeholders from across both Anguilla and St. Kitts and Nevis. Attendees included Acting Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Anguilla’s Minister of Health, Tourism and Sports Cardigan Connor, CEO of the St. Christopher Air & Sea Ports Authority Adeola Moore, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority Kelly Fontenelle, Trans Anguilla Airways Managing Director Vernol Gumbs and Captain Tony Webster, along with other senior government and tourism officials from both jurisdictions. The new office officially began operations on October 1.
In his keynote address at the ceremony, Minister Connor emphasized that expanded regional air links are far more than infrastructure for small island developing states across the Caribbean — they are a foundational economic lifeline that sustains multiple core sectors. “For small island states such as ours, air connectivity is not simply about getting from one destination to another. It is an economic lifeline,” Connor stated. “It supports tourism. It facilitates business and trade. It connects families. And equally important, it allows Caribbean people and our visitors to experience more of our region with greater ease.”
Connor added that the expansion of Trans Anguilla Airways, a fully Anguillian-owned independent carrier, serves as a powerful example of how Caribbean-rooted businesses can scale beyond their home borders while retaining their deep ties to the local communities they serve. He further noted that the new office is a tangible show of confidence in St. Kitts and Nevis’ growing travel and commerce ecosystem, and represents a continued commitment to investing in resilient, locally led Caribbean air connectivity.
Founded 26 years ago, Trans Anguilla Airways has built a reputation for reliable short-haul service across the Eastern Caribbean, connecting neighboring island nations and supporting the flow of tourism, commerce, and personal travel that keeps regional economies interconnected. Industry observers note that the expansion comes as Caribbean destinations work to strengthen intra-regional travel, a key strategy to build more resilient tourism sectors and strengthen economic integration across small island states.