WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WTNH) — After six months, Spirit Airlines is scrapping its new nonstop service from Bradley International Airport to Jamaica in early June.

“We truly appreciate the extraordinary support we have received from the community, Bradley International Airport (BDL) and Sangster International Airport (MBJ),” a spokesperson for Spirit Airlines said. “We put forward our best effort to establish this unique connection between Connecticut and Jamaica. Unfortunately, we made the difficult decision to discontinue this particular route because of lower-than-expected demand. We will continue to operate the BDL/MBJ flight through June 6, and we provided refunds to Guests with reservations after that date.”

Spirit Airlines began offering non-stop service to Montego Bay, Jamaica, this past December.

“This is the shortest amount of time that an airline has pulled out of a route you have to publicize and advertise,” State Rep. Bobby Gibson (D-Conn.) said.

Now travelers looking for refunds and to rebook.

“They’ve had to cancel graduations to Jamaica, they’ve had to cancel weddings, people are having their weddings in Jamaica, people are looking to do cargo trade in that fell through,” Gibson said.

He said his daughter recently flew to Jamaica to visit family and the flight was packed.

“My cousins and aunts did, I knew they flew Spirit as well so they had full flights I know there were a lot of people at the airport that were waiting for Spirit,” said Jadyn Gibson of Bloomfield.

Connecticut has one the top five largest Jamaican populations in the country, with more than 56,000 people and now they have to take the long way to visit home.

“Now everybody has to go to New York or Florida to get to Jamaica. So that is a lot of work, especially for my grandfather who is 100 years old, and we had to go to Baltimore just to get him home,” Jadyn Gibson said.

The Connecticut Airport Authority is reportedly in active discussions with other airlines to restart the nonstop service.

“Spirit remains committed to serving BDL and will offer daily, nonstop service from BDL to Myrtle Beach (MYR) and Orlando (MCO) this summer,” a spokesperson for Spirit Airlines said. “In addition, we will launch nonstop service between BDL and San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), beginning in June.”

The video below aired in our 10 p.m. newscast on May 22, 2023.