British Airways expands Caribbean

British Airways will introduce a new daily Gatwick–Bridgetown service beginning 25 October 2026 as part of a winter network that the carrier says will increase its long‑haul flying by about 9% versus winter 2025. (prnewswire.com) Kingston (Jamaica) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) are being up‑frequenced to four weekly departures from Gatwick, while other Caribbean markets on BA’s winter plan receive additional weekly services to lift seat capacity. (traveltimeworld.co.uk) The new Gatwick–Bridgetown operation is scheduled to use widebody equipment (reported as a Boeing 777 for the new daily service), and BA’s schedule keeps tag routings through Bridgetown that continue on to Grenada, Guyana and Tobago to preserve multi‑island connections. (traveldailynews.com) British Airways reported strong search‑demand signals ahead of the rollout, with flight searches to Barbados up about 18% and to St Lucia up about 26%, and overall short‑lead searches from the UK rising roughly 155% in the weeks cited. (ala.aero) Industry booking data shows a measurable shift away from Mexico after security incidents in Puerto Vallarta: platforms report about 90% of travelers who canceled Mexico trips are choosing other destinations, and some Caribbean islands have logged booking increases near 50% year‑on‑year. (caribbeanmag.com) Market indicators beyond air searches back the surge: STR‑sourced reporting and Caribbean hotel data show rising occupancy and revenue in early 2026, and tourism reports place the Dominican Republic at roughly 1.2 million visitors in the opening months of 2026. (caribjournal.com) Carriers and travel firms have been adding flexibility alongside the capacity boost — U.S. and regional carriers have issued targeted travel waivers in response to disruptions, with American Airlines waiving fees for around 20 island destinations and United and others issuing multi‑airport Caribbean waivers in recent weeks. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)