BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“Come to Jamaica and feel alright!” Yeah, so much easier said than done these days, especially with how prices have skyrocketed when it comes to every aspect of our lives.
For many Jamaicans living abroad, this desire to reconnect with their roots and spend time with loved ones in Jamaica is a strong and meaningful one. Many Jamaicans have strong cultural and familial ties to their homeland, and visiting Jamaica allows them to reconnect with their cultural heritage and experience the traditions, customs, and way of life they grew up with.
Of course, we cannot forget family; family is often a central aspect of Jamaican culture, and maintaining close relationships with family members is important. Visiting home provides an opportunity to spend quality time with relatives, including parents, siblings, grandparents, and extended family. In times of illness, crisis, or need, Jamaicans may want to return home to be with family who can provide emotional support and care.
Overall, visiting home helps Jamaicans abroad maintain a strong connection to their cultural identity. It allows them to stay grounded in their Jamaican roots even while living in a different country. To fulfill this desire, Jamaicans living abroad typically plan trips back to Jamaica. These visits can range from short vacations to longer stays, depending on individual circumstances, priorities, and of course…
The price of those airline tickets!
Consumers are traveling again after a few years of shelving plans during the pandemic. That pent-up demand has been reinforced by an easing of pandemic-era travel restrictions around the world. Disruptions in global supply chains, as seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, led to increased costs in the travel industry. Fluctuations in oil prices have a significant impact on the cost of airfare; general inflation has led to higher prices for goods and services, including those related to travel such as hotels, restaurants, and transportation. Traveling during peak seasons, like holidays or summer vacations, often comes with higher prices for flights, accommodations, and activities.
Travel used to be something far out of reach for many, but these days people are able to go far and wide without spending much. We now have smarter transport, more choice of accommodation and more knowledge on how to travel for cheap.
As an informed traveler, you have to be flexible with your plans; it is one of the major ways to save money. Being flexible on travel day and time of year can make a big financial difference. That might mean traveling during a shoulder season instead of high season for a particular area or adjusting the days during which you’re traveling. Instead of traveling on a Friday or Sunday — which tend to be the highest-volume days — midweek is generally lighter-trafficked and less expensive for airfare, she said.
Your options and pricing are often better when you plan ahead instead of waiting until the last minute, and last week, I had a chance to sit down with Garth Lund, Chief Commercial Officer at Flair, for an interview to discuss some exciting news for our community.
Flair Airlines has announced a new route to Kingston, Jamaica, that will begin on December 16th. Marking the fifth country served by Flair, this route will fly three times weekly between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Norman Manley International Airport (KIN).
“The biggest draw is the low prices,” Garth shared with me. “It is substantially cheaper than other airlines. We saw the opportunity to provide lower costs, so we decided to offer these to as many customers as we can. We start operation in December, and we plan to do this all year. Let the community know that they are in store for a treat; not only are the prices low, they can look forward to non-stop flights, and no connecting flights.”
Garth continued, “I know how important it is to connect with your family face to face. With my job, I don’t get to see my family as much because I am rarely in the country that my family resides in. I am glad that we can offer a service that will help families due just that, connect!”
Flair is delighted to cater to the unique travel needs of the Jamaican-Canadian community and recognizes the importance of this connection to facilitate affordable travel between families, friends, and cultures:
- Flair flew an average of 477,000 customers per month, with their highest ever count last month (August – 514K)
- Their flights are about 90% full, on every flight
- Their flights were on-time — the best in Canada this summer
One-way fares start at just $149 CAD and are available for booking now at flyflair.com.\
Time for me to book my flight, and at these prices, it is actually possible.
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