Black History Month Commemorative Flight Arrives from UK

TUI Airways’ Black History Month commemorative flight from the United Kingdom (UK), with an all-black flight crew, landed at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James, recently.

October is observed as Black History Month in the United Kingdom (UK).

The flight, which arrived from London Gatwick airport in the UK, carried 251 passengers and a 10-member flight crew. It was one of two TUI Airways commemorative Black History Month flights, the other being from Manchester to Boa Vista in Cape Verde.

Regional Director at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Odette Dyer, told JIS News that the flight marked a significant moment for the JTB.

She highlighted that it was a symbolic occasion, as the Windrush generation, which arrived in the UK from Caribbean nations between 1948 and 1973, has been a significant part of the UK, “and for TUI to bring this flight here, it is very befitting and that they understand the shared history and the shared culture in bringing these people here”.

“We’ll be exposing the visitors to our culture and our history, [which is also] their heritage, because I’m sure many of the passengers you saw coming off the flight, their fore-parents were from Jamaica and the Caribbean. So, this is kind of a homecoming, not just to Jamaica but to the Caribbean,” she added.

For his part, Deputy Director of Tourism with responsibility for Marketing at the JTB, Peter Mullings, told journalists that the flight serves as a testament that the island’s product resonates with the UK’s Jamaican diaspora.

“It’s based a lot on the cultural experiences, and we think that this is a good connection between them and ourselves. One of the things that we try to also focus on is to support the diaspora communities that we have, and certainly the one in the UK,” Mr. Mullings said.

For her part, Destination Manager for TUI Airways in Jamaica, Carina Gonzalez, underscored the importance of having an all-black crew on the flight.

“For Black History Month we really wanted to have an all-black flight crew [including the captain], and we also had TUI CAN team members, which is the TUI Caribbean and African Network; they were also on board the flight. They look at inclusivity and diversity within TUI as a business. Jamaica has a strong connection with the UK, so this is why we were chosen to host [a] Black History Month flight this year,” she said.

Also on hand to welcome the visitors were Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon; President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Robin Russell; Executive Director of Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC), Joy Roberts and Chief Executive Officer of MBJ Airports, operators of Sangster International Airport, Shane Munroe.