Brent Pinheiro
brent.pinheiro@guardian.co.tt
United Airlines is set to fly between New Jersey and Port of Spain, several years after shuttering the route.
In a statement to Guardian Media, the Chicago-based airline said it will operate a daily, seasonal non-stop service from Newark Liberty International Airport to Piarco International Airport from December 19, 2024 to January 6, 2025.
UA 1904 departs EWR daily at 7:00 pm, arriving in POS at 1:05 am. UA 1905 then departs POS at 2:20 am, arriving back in New Jersey just over 5 hours later at 6:55 am. United will operate the route using Boeing 737 MAX 8s.
Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell tells Guardian Media “United Airlines resuming service from Port of Spain to North America, albeit on a seasonal basis, is indeed welcoming news as it will add much needed airlift and seat capacity during the busy Christmas season. We are eager to continue discussing with United on increased frequency to and from Port of Spain for 2025.”
United currently operates a daily nonstop service to Houston, Texas. This is the first time the airline will operate between Port of Spain and Newark since the COVID-19 pandemic forced T&T to close its borders.
FILE: A pedestrian walks in front of the United office in downtown POS. Photo: Brent Pinheiro
In May 2024, the airline permanently closed the doors of its Port-of-Spain city ticket office located at Nicholas Towers.
In a notice to customers, United said the service will continue to be provided via its toll-free phone number 1-800-461-2744. Reservations can continue to be made online via the company’s website. The office closure was effective May 22.
United is the fourth largest North American airline in terms of enplaned passengers. The airline carried 164.9 million passengers at an average load factor of 86.4 per cent. The Chicago-based carrier's net income for 2023 was US$2.6 billion, and its adjusted net was US$3.3 billion.
