American Airlines (AA) helps keep Saint Lucia’s economy humming, according to a government minister. Senator Allen Chastanet, Saint Lucia’s Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, reported continued solid relations between the airline and the island destination following a visit to American Airlines’ division headquarters in Greater Miami.

To celebrate the German premiere of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, airberlin will be hosting an official ceremony at Berlin-Tegel Airport on Saturday June 25th, 2011 together with the aircraft’s manufacturer Boeing and Berlin Airports. Guests from the worlds of politics, business and the media are invited to this event. Following the ceremony, airberlin employees will also be able to see this long-haul aircraft for themselves.

Tradewind Aviation will launch scheduled roundtrip service in October between St. Thomas and St. Barts. The airline also will increase flights from San Juan to St. Barts to five roundtrips a day, up from four.

The USVI Department of Tourism is pleased to announce that JetBlue Airways, the popular value air carrier, will begin serving the Territory for the first time later this year. At a press conference in San Juan last week, JetBlue outlined plans to open three new routes to the Territory that will provide an increase in regional and stateside airlift just in time for winter season.

Vision Airlines will reconnect Grand Bahama Island with direct air service to at least five (5) US cities beginning in November, the Grand Bahama Tourist Office announced today. Beginning November 11, 2011, Vision Airlines will provide nonstop jet service to Grand Bahama Island from a number of US cities.

Copa Airlines said that it will add new three new destinations in December -- Chicago (O’Hare); Cucuta, Colombia; and Asuncion, Paraguay -- bringing the airline’s total of new destinations in 2011 to seven.