MONTREAL — Word is getting out to the consumer media and travelling public that anyone hoping to vacation in St. Maarten this winter will have to make alternative plans after hurricane damage forced several airlines to suspend service for the season.

A Nov. 6 report from The Canadian Press confirms what the travel industry already knew: that airlines including Air Canada, Transat and Sunwing have all cancelled their St. Maarten flights for the rest of the season.

Air Canada issued an advisory on its website on Oct. 27 saying that damage caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria has resulted in its suspension of all flights to the Caribbean island. Air Canada issued a similar advisory on Oct. 26 for Puerto Rico.

Transat also posted an alert in late October about St. Maarten. The company said it had suspended service to the island for the entire season.

“Due to the impacts of hurricanes, the tourism infrastructure on the island has suffered greatly,” said Transat. “Many hotels have been severely damaged and customer demand has also been affected.”

WestJet said in an email late Monday that it would resume service to the Caribbean island in May. Spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said WestJet operated about 16,000 seats to St. Maarten last winter with four weekly flights.

Sunwing announced back in mid-September that it was cancelling its St. Maarten flights out of Toronto and Montreal right through until April 30, 2018.

Published reports in St. Maarten say Princess Juliana International Airport sustained up to US$100 million in damages, including to the terminal roof.

The airport has been using temporary facilities since it reopened to commercial traffic Oct. 10.

With files from The Canadian Press