Seaborne Airlines increases service to Dominica

A Seaborne aircraft at Melville Hall
A Seaborne aircraft at Douglas Charles Airport

Seaborne Airlines will now be serving Dominica from San Juan seven days a week as the company offers increased flights into the island.

The airline will also, as of June 7, 2015, be having a change in schedule which Tourism Minister, Robert Tonge, said will provide convenience for travelers who wants to get to Dominica in one day.

“In addition to the increased capacity, effective June 7, 2015, Seaborne will now depart San Juan at 4:10 pm and arrive in Dominica at 6:00 pm.” he explained. “The aircraft and crew will overnight in Dominica and Seaborne will depart Dominica at 7:00 am and arrive in San Juan at 8:45 am. This change is significant to providing convenience to travelers in making connections and getting to Dominica in one day and to make earlier connections outbound.”

He stated that the new schedule will provide a 41 percent increase in connections to the US.

“Seaborne has operated as the American Airlines affiliate into Dominica since the pullout of Eagle in April, 2013,” Tonge said. “A customer can accrue and redeem AAdvantage mileage on Seaborne to and from Dominica, so long as the reservation is booked through AA.com or on American Airlines through a travel agency.”

He added, “Seaborne also offers interline connections to JetBlue, Delta and United Airlines at San Juan. Seaborne flights can be booked via jetblue.com and delta.com, or through a travel agent.”

He said Seaborne has great schedule dependability, with 86 percent of many thousands of flights in the first quarter arriving on time.

“This is above the industry average for dependability,” Tonge noted.

He stated that the authorities on the island have been advised that Seaborne is offering fares from Dominica to San Juan starting as low as $145, based on availability.

Tonge also said the new services will increase the capacity of seats into and out of Dominica by 1,768 annually.

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43 Comments

  1. Anthony P. Ismael
    April 20, 2015

    There were plans to build a new road through the Layou area leading straight to Marigot. That move would have significantly reduced the travel time from the South of the island to Melville Hall. Plans for the new road including the environmental impact assessment were made public a few years ago. Like so many projects in Dominica, my guess is, it became another “White Elephant Fiasco.” However, since the longer route was recently upgraded, a hotel is needed in Marigot.

    I made that trek from Roseau to Marigot one early morning and it was daunting. It’s an entire day’s travel to return to the U.S. If the market shows sustainability, Seaborne will invest in the new ATRs or some other type of modern aircraft. They will not make that purchase if it’s unprofitable. Hopefully, newer planes will be added within the near future.

    Maybe someone from DNO can pose that question to the managers of Seaborne.

  2. qstorm78
    April 20, 2015

    This is great news.. I’ve been wishing/asking for this since they started providing service… Way to go Seaborne.!!

  3. Anonymous
    April 20, 2015

    Thank God for Ross!!!
    This move/change was instigated by Ross as they partnered with SeaBorne to meet their travelling demands.

  4. DominicanBwoy
    April 19, 2015

    Anybody else prefer the name Melville Hall Airport? When I think of the airport, that’s still the name that comes to mind & I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I understand that it’s named after people, to remember them or something but I still think Melville Hall is/was better. Besides, Melville was also named after someone too. Don’t understand the change of name.

    • qstorm78
      April 20, 2015

      I think it should have been named after Preem.. :-D :-D :-D .. Longest working man at the airport..

  5. Hurray
    April 19, 2015

    This is such good news,I Travel to Dominica via seaborne and the flight was good ,also a piece of my luggage stayed back and seaborne brought it all the way to my home the next day ,unlike liat with their rude staff I would have to make a million trips to Wherever and maybe get my stuff on my way back to the U.S. Like they did to me a few years ago. Sorry to say but I don’t care too much for Liat ,they have no respect for the customer. Thank you seaborne big up good job and hope we get some bigger plaines so far things are kool .just keep it up Liat needed some serious competition.

  6. Memory
    April 19, 2015

    LIAT needs the competition regardless which shareholder Governments are in control, it has been too long Caribbean people have been taken advantage off, especially the traveling people of Dominica.
    One of the concerns is the the departure time from Dominica since we do not have hotels in the vicinity of the air port maybe Seaborne could make the departure time 9 am to accommodate travelers from the city and the south of Dominica.
    But that is good news to hear we would be able to reach home the same day.
    Our tax DOLLARS pay those OPERATORS but they don’t care a bit about us Dominicans yet our Governments support them.
    Let us send the MESSAGE strongly to LIAT. WE WILL FLY SEABORNE UNTIL LIAT CORPORATION AND STAFF TREAT US WITH RESPECT. After all the staff is part of the corruption too they help who they want too.
    Fly Seaborne, fly just don’t screw up.

  7. Malpardee
    April 18, 2015

    I am happy but hope that they get a bigger plane. Too small with little space. Could not even keep a small bag in the over head bin. Their tray for snacks , needs changing.Don’t talk for the bathroom. Nothing compared to a bathroom in other planes. If u are having your monthly u are in serious problems. U cannot stand in that toilet area. Also, when about to land, they need to change that way cause is die u feeling u going to die. Fly like liat over steady water… Just a few improvements and they good to go.

  8. U.S
    April 18, 2015

    Every time I have to travel to the Islands, just the thought of the hassle with the airlines makes it feel like a trip to the dentist.
    Why can’t they get simple island to island travel right? But the same people do it right when they come to work in the U.S

  9. Roseau
    April 18, 2015

    Travelling in these poor Caribbean islands in today’s world still feels like as it was in the 1980’s! In this day and age , why do I have to overnight twice in St.Kitts an Antigua when travelling from P.R to Dominica? Modern times have not reached us yet?
    Is this a Government orchestrated tactic to make travelling more expensive or is it the locals who do not know and have not learnt how to master the art of communications and mass travel?

  10. Malatete
    April 18, 2015

    N.B. In their flight schedules Seabourne Airways refer to the “Douglas Charles airport” as Dominica Intl. (DOMINICA INTERNATIONAL). I think this is a brilliant move and one we should seriously think adopting ourselves. No disrespect but”Douglas Charles” is a mouthful and I’m tired of having to explain to visitors that the airport is not named after one gentleman, either Charles Douglas or Douglas Charles. The designated international code for the airport in any case is DOM (Dominica Melville Hall), which perfectly fits Seabourne’s reference and draws attention to the fact that it is indeed an international gateway. It has something classy about it and advertises our island every time it is mentioned or shown in print: DOMINICA INTERNATIONAL.

  11. stand for yourself
    April 18, 2015

    this is a very good vibes

  12. Anthony P. Ismael
    April 18, 2015

    Great news indeed!!

  13. Big Bannan
    April 17, 2015

    Have you looked at seaborne’s ticket prices? A flight to Dominica on their makeshift fedex freight planes is comparable to a first class ticket on a 737. Not conducive to the average traveler.

  14. Doc. Love
    April 17, 2015

    The eight million dollars Skeritt invested in LIAT, should have been invested in Seaborne. The man does not have his priority straight. If you are going to have someone build your house, are you going to employ a dish washer. The man knows nothing about business. They take a school teacher and gives him to control the finances of the country, personally, I don’t expect any better.

  15. Skerrit failure exposed
    April 17, 2015

    Is best Skerrit had given Seaborne the $8 or so million he gave Liat man. How shameful to see Seaborne that was not even here when LIAT did the first night landing with the president, becoming the major airline, while LIAT we own part of and Skerrit gave so much money to cannot pull the slack and feel the void left by the Eagle. While , Robert Tonge, sounds excited clearly it exposes a failed Skerrit

  16. Dominican to the bone
    April 17, 2015

    That’s a very good move by seaborne, for to long people traveling internationally has been suffering with with connecting flights with liat, they are expensive and never on time, just this March I lost my connecting flight from st.maartin to new York because my flight from dominica was late and didn’t even informed jet blue that there were connecting passengers

  17. Happy Traveler
    April 17, 2015

    :-D This is such as smart move! This overnighting in SJU has always been a problem and discouraged so many from coming here… finally some people were using their heads! Kudos to them!

  18. Nature boy
    April 17, 2015

    That’s great news. Now on a serious note; someone mentioned hotel accommodation near the airport ; isn’t that too apparent ? I would believe so but obviously NOT!!!
    Are any of the land owners selling in that area? Man that would be a damn good investment. Hope someone with a vision sees it that way.

  19. megso
    April 17, 2015

    We have to be cautiously ootimistic. There was a promise of Venezuela airline coming to Dominica and we are still waiting Mr Ian Douglas former minister of tourism. Until there is a considerable change in the economic environment in Dominica I will remain cautious. Those of us who travel back and forth to Dominica know that the passenger volume is not available to maintain the schedule. The question then is what was offered to Seaborn. Are we providing free overnight accommodation for the crew,equipment etc. Just asking cause a government is supposet to be transparent and I have a right to ask.

  20. mr george
    April 17, 2015

    LOL fly LIAT if you have Problems with Seaborne

  21. dave
    April 17, 2015

    Now no need to go through with LIAT the idiot security in useless antigua on the way back from PR. This change is due mainly to demands from the Ross medical students and staff who need better service and direct connections from Dominica to the US.

  22. Yawn
    April 17, 2015

    Thank you Jesus! I am a happy camper for the change in times. Very happy.

  23. Bull Crap
    April 17, 2015

    one of the most expensive airlines out their.

    • malatete
      April 17, 2015

      I would agree but with only LIAT as a competitor on this route there is little choice. The latter have a daily, direct flight from Melville Hall to St. Juan (362), departing at 11.45 am, arriving 1.25 pm. I think Seabourn’s new time schedule is superior, especially in view of return flight to Dominica. Whereas Seabourn flies direct from St. Juan to Melville Hall, LIAT’s return flight (563), departing at 2.50 pm. terminates in Antigua, where one would have to change flights to connect to Dominica for same day arrival …if you are lucky! I also believe that on this route Seabourn’s baggage allowance is more generous at 2 bags, weighing no more than 50 lbs. each. Although I prefer LIAT’s new ATR to the SAAB 340 I know what my preference of service would be and it is not LIAT!

    • anonymous2
      April 17, 2015

      You are absolutely right unless you get really lucky and get one of their specials which is few and far between. Their fares are too high to SJU.

  24. fantastic4
    April 17, 2015

    Seaborne need to upgrade their fleet – or refurbish – good service but the planes look old and the interior looks kind of shabby.

    • malatete
      April 17, 2015

      Seabourn operates 6, Swedish built Saab 340 B turboprops. They range in age from Dec. 89 (25 yrs. old) to Nov. 93 (20 yrs. old). Production of these planes has been discontinued but there are still plenty of them in service. No problem with that as long as they are properly maintained, as they would be with planes like Seabourn’s on the U.S. register. The only drawback I find with them is their rather narrow cabin.

    • Nunya
      April 17, 2015

      Compared to American Eagle, Seaborn is pure luxury.

    • KoKo Naughts
      April 17, 2015

      Doh worry, all time de plane wings can beat we on board. Us folks living out of the region been fed up with LIAT and would rather fly Seaborne ( doh it’s a strange name for an airline, bon diay watch us wii. ), but for some shaddy reason Seaborne had a very disadvantaged schedule. Now that their schedule has changed, bye bye LIAT, bye bye hotel in PR, bye bye ‘not-nice’ desk lady at PR airport, bye bye explanations to my boss at work….. Hello Dominica, this year I there!! :wink:

    • Malpardee
      April 18, 2015

      U are so right. This is 2015.

  25. malatete
    April 17, 2015

    Very good news. I wish they had built that new Moroccan hotel at Melville Hall, its originally planned location, instead of moving it to the Cabrits. Increasingly we need such accommodation near the airport, both for crews and early departures for passengers, especially those coming form the West coast, Roseau in particular. It should also provide decent dining, unlike the existing facility at the airport calling itself a restaurant.

    • Liberty
      April 17, 2015

      We wish the Moroccan Hotel was finishedThree years behind completion date.When last did you visit the island??

    • Affa
      April 19, 2015

      Who would check in besides the sparse tourists, when you can wake up earl on West or South coast and drive or taxi to airport? You think it’s easy when there isn’t money circulating in the hands of the public? One can understand a mid-capacity hospital in Marigot though. They need to do more to STIMULATE THE ECONOMY for this and many many other things to be worth the investment. u kno wha I mean?

      • Titiwi
        April 20, 2015

        Affa, it are not only the local people, like ourselves we should be thinking of. Mostly we stay with our relatives, to save costs but I can also imagine someone, say from Grandbay, not wanting to trouble their family that early in the morning and chose to stay one night near the airport. That is a choice you would have. More important are the stay-over, foreign tourists we want to encourage. The could leave their hotel in Roseau the evening before departure and stay at the airport instead at no extra cost but be more relaxed and not making that taxi trip to Melville Hall in the dark and making their total journey for that day even longer.

  26. simbeart john
    April 17, 2015

    Interesting move, will the 6:00pm arrivals continue for the mouths that gets dark earlier?

    • smh
      April 17, 2015

      Umm….maybe you’ve been living under a rock or something but night landing at Melville Hall is fully operational and has been for quite some time….smh

      • Titiwi
        April 20, 2015

        So how come LIAT prefer not to use it?

  27. April 17, 2015

    And that’s the competition needed for LIAT to take Dominicans seriously I hope other airlines come along to help Dominica and Dominicans, because we have a Government that don’t know when to quit .

    • Johhny
      April 19, 2015

      what competition are u talking about when Dominicans can’t afford to purchase a 1500 dollar ticket on liat to San Juan .mwhat makes u think they can afford 2500 on seaborne….

  28. Jane Doe
    April 17, 2015

    Good for Dominica as far as US travel is concerned. However what is the impact on LIAT in terms of sustainability since whether we like it or not the sustainabiltiy of LIAT is paramount to us because of Caribbean region travel.

    • DominicaForDominicans
      April 18, 2015

      LIat is a crappy airline. They need new employees in PR and they need to be taken over by a company who knows how to operate an airline and take care of customers simultaneously.

    • Titiwi
      April 20, 2015

      Jane, Seabourne has to stand on its own two feet and so should LIAT. No difference. There should be no preferential treatment for one because that is only costing us money and lowers the quality of service. Open and free competition is best.

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