One happy island of Aruba Welcomes Inaugural Flight From Fort Lauderdale

ORANJESTAD, Aruba, Jan. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the One happy island of Aruba launched its first JetBlue non-stop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Aruba's Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA).

To celebrate this anticipated inaugural flight, Aruba and JetBlue treated passengers aboard flight 1411 to a festive day of gifts and appreciative gestures, starting with authentic Aruban decorations and ambiance at the Fort Lauderdale departure gate and concluding with a spirited reception at Reina Beatrix Aruba International Airport.

"Airlift is imperative to our tourism success – and this new daily service allows Aruba to cater to our key Ft. Lauderdale market, while also serving as a crucial feeder market for U.S. westerners who have shown an increased propensity to visit Aruba in recent years," said Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) CEO Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes. "JetBlue remains an esteemed partner in accommodating the growing demand for travel to our One happy island — welcoming visitors to enjoy our year-round sunshine, stunning white sand beaches and celebrated authentic culture."

Following take-off, JetBlue flight attendants helped kick off the party by playing inflight Bingo with all passengers, raffling off special prizes. The travelers received an illustrious welcome upon landing with a lively greeting outside the gangway by Carnival dancers and Steel band performers.

The celebration continued outside the terminal during a reception attended by gracious local Arubans – during which the Aruba Tourism Authority addressed guests and welcomed the inaugural flight to the island.

"This truly is an exciting celebration, recognizing this highly anticipated new service with a dedicated partner such as JetBlue," said Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) CMO Sanju Luidens. "This flight extends the opportunity for guests nationwide to experience Aruba, and will create heightened awareness for our beloved destination among travelers from key markets."

Since the evolution of Aruba's 10-year relationship with JetBlue, Aruba has experienced a 12 percent increase in US visitors from the revered airline. In addition, the destination has seen a 6.7 percent growth in JetBlue visitors since the beginning of 2016.

JetBlue currently serves Aruba from its New York-JFK and Boston focus cities with daily flights. It also offers weekly Mint flights seasonally from both airports, which feature the airline's successful premium service with lie-flat seating and tapas style dining. Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood service provides a third nonstop Aruba gateway and allows for convenient connections from across the growing JetBlue network.

About Aruba

As one of the most revisited destinations in the Caribbean, Aruba -- One happy island -- is an island of contradictions, where pristine turquoise waters collide against the desert-like terrain of the north shore; where peace and relaxation coexist with wild and rugged adventures; where Dutch influence meets American ease; and where a diverse history parallels a bright future. Nestled in the Southern Caribbean on the fringes of the hurricane belt, the island is just a two-and-a-half hour flight from Miami and a four-hour flight from New York City and also boasts year-round cooling trade winds and an average 82-degree temperature. Aruba offers beach lovers, adrenaline junkies, relaxation seekers and everyone in between a slice of paradise, including breathtaking beaches, a booming culinary scene, world famous festivals and events, exciting land and water activities, art galleries and museums, sumptuous spas, championships golf and exclusive shopping. With all-inclusive options, boutique properties in charming Eagle Beach, high-rise branded resorts in Palm Beach or cosmopolitan city hotels in Oranjestad, the island of contradictions provides the perfect getaway for first-time guests and loyal visitors. www.aruba.com.

About JetBlue

JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 35 million customers a year to 100 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 925 daily flights. For more information please visit jetblue.com.

FOR MORE MEDIA INFORMATION                                         
LAUREN NOVO
THE ZIMMERMAN AGENCY
(850) 668-2222 • [email protected] 

 

SOURCE Aruba Tourism Authority