Continental to Compete with JetBlue on New York-Turks & Caicos Service

United Continental Holdings subsidiary Continental Airlines will begin nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands on February 18, 2011, subject to government approval.

Providenciales will be Continental’s 26th Caribbean destination, according to the airline. Initially, Continental Airlines will operate four round-trips a week on the route, on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, but the carrier will increase its service frequency to daily flights on March 6.

“We are pleased to offer convenient access to Providenciales, a world-class get-away and an exciting new addition to the list of Caribbean destinations served by Continental and United,” says John Slater, United Airlines’ vice president of sales. “Our merger allows us to offer new flights to new destinations as we begin to efficiently utilize the combined fleet of both carriers.”

Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 N35260 taxies in at Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport

JetBlue Airways is also planning to begin daily service between New York and Providenciales in February, the airline planning to start service to the Turks and Caicos Islands from New York JFK on February 17.

Continental’s schedule on the route calls for flight CO 610 to depart Newark (EWR) at 9:35 a.m., arriving at Providenciales International Airport (PLS) at 1:10 p.m. In the other direction, flight CO 615 is timed to leave PLS at 2:05 p.m. and land at EWR at 5:45 p.m.

The airline will operate the route with Boeing 737-800s configured to seat 160 passengers, 16 in first class and 144 in economy.

United Continental Holdings says the new service will complement the combined airlines’ services to other Caribbean leisure destinations such Aruba, Punta Cana, and Nassau.

A popular vacation destination, Providenciales (also called Provo) is the most well known of the Turks and Caicos Islands. While geographically part of the Bahamas chain of islands, Turks and Caicos Islands is a separate country consisting of 40 different islands and cays.

Providenciales features the 12-mile, white-sand Grace Bay Beach, ranked “Best Beach” by Conde Nast magazine and by the World Travel Awards for several years. Visitors also can experience the island’s coral reef; water sports such as diving, snorkeling and fishing; golf; a marine park; the world’s first conch farm; and luxury hotels, villas and spas. Providenciales’ official language is English, and its currency is the U.S. dollar.

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