Windward Islands Airways has launched twice-daily service between Tortola’s Beef Island and St. Maarten.

The new flights add 13,000 seats per year to the British Virgin Islands air transportation market, according to company officials. The service also provides connections in St. Maarten for passengers traveling from the U.S. and Europe and across the Caribbean.

Windward has interline agreements with “most of the major U.S. carriers,” said Michael Cleaver, the company’s president and CEO. “We are looking at the connectivity with Copa Airlines and should be in a position to offer round-trip connectivity very soon."

“We continue to work with the airlines to make the B.V.I. more accessible to travelers,” said Sharon Flax-Mars, the British Virgin Islands director of tourism. "And to ensure that travel connections from our major source markets are efficient and effortless.”