That service represented the only nonstop service from Orlando to Antigua, helping to strengthen Antigua’s growing position in the all-important Florida market. 

The service ended abruptly, however the minister said both parties have restarted talks now that the airline is expanding its services.

“They will be operating a bigger aircraft and not only that Frontier has direct routes from various location in the US which Silver Airways does not have,” Fernandez said.

Silver Airways was operating the San Juan- Antigua Route up until May of this year when that service was discontinued.

Minister Fernandez said a new management had taken over and even though talks had resumed with Antigua and Barbuda the conditions were not favorable.

“Some of the other islands that still had flights coming in had to pay a lot of money and it did not prove economical for them and they had to stop it. In this case we felt it was an important route and that is why we engage them to begin with. Once the negotiations reached a point where we felt it was going into diminishing returns we made a decision and said that’s it,” Fernandez said.