George F. L. Charles Airport - Flights To St Lucia

George F. L. Charles Airport (formerly Vigie Airport) (IATA: SLU, ICAO: TLPC) is the smaller of the two airports in Saint Lucia, the other being Hewanorra International Airport. It is located 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Castries, the capital city. George F. L. Charles Airport is managed by the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority (SLASPA). Its runway runs parallel to a pristine beach, Vigie Beach, which is a popular tourist attraction.

History

The airport was renamed on 4 August 1997 in honor of Saint Lucia politician Sir George Frederick Lawrence Charles (1916â€"2004).

Traffic

On average, George F. L. Charles Airport handles 32,000 flights per year carrying 394,000 passengers. Most of these flights operate with turboprop aircraft such as the ATR 72-500 or the Bombardier Dash 8.

The airport currently has no scheduled jet service. All jet service into St. Lucia, including transatlantic flights, operates via Hewanorra International Airport, on the southeast portion of the island. The airport previously had jet service flown by Caribair (Puerto Rico) which in 1970 was operating McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jetliners with nonstop flights to Barbados and Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe with direct service to Antigua, Port of Spain, Trinidad, San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas.

Airlines

The following airlines operate passenger flights to George F. L. Charles Airport:

Charter

Helicopter services

Other facilities

The airport houses the George Charles Outstation of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, General Aviation Services, and the Island Flyers Club.

Navigation

The airport offers an RNAV and NDB approach only on Runway 9. Landings on Runway 27 are strictly visual.

Accidents and incidents

On 8 November 2015, a Beechcraft Model 99, registered N7994H, veered off the runway into a grassy area at George F. L. Charles Airport after the aircraft's right landing gear malfunctioned. The sole occupant of the aircraft, the pilot, was not harmed. Following the incident, Hummingbird Air suspended all operations, and the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority launched an investigation.

References