A hint that JetBlue could add New York-to-St. Thomas service was heard Thursday during an event to celebrate the start of the airline's five-times-a-week direct service from Boston.
Brandon Nelson, a vice president of JetBlue, told the Virgin islands Daily News, "The Caribbean is core to our growth strategy." Flights from the Big Apple, he said, "would seem to me to be a natural growth opportunity."
Nelson was in the Virgin Islands to welcome the airline to the territory. The first flights from San Juan began Monday. JetBlue plans twice-daily service fo St. Thomas and a single flight to St. Croix.
Non-stop service from Boston began Thursday with the VI Tourism Department putting on a show at Logan International Airport. Mocko jumbies, steel pan players and Caribbean Ritual Dancers performed their specialties at the airline's check-in counters and departure gates.
Tourism also spent some marketing dollars to host a media reception and to meet with travel agents in Boston to promote travel to the islands.