ST. BARTH'S, French West Indies -- I have found paradise all over again. Just when I thought I had already seen the most beautiful beaches in the world, I arrive at the French West Indies island of St. Barth's, and I am instantly awed by its natural beauty. Now, getting here is another story.

The adventure began in Miami, from where a group of us flew to St. Maarten, where we were to transfer to a small commuter plane to get to our destination. We were on our way to celebrate a friend's birthday. The flight was packed -- overbooked, not a single empty seat.

The way things have been going with the airline industry, we expected that there could be some delays, but not that the airline company we were scheduled to travel with would have canceled all of its flights. Turns out there was some kind of labor dispute with the pilots, and the company was about to declare bankruptcy.

Thanks to the very resourceful representative of the resort we'd be staying at in St. Barth's, we were able to charter a small plane to the island and not miss the sunset champagne toast that our friend had so meticulously planned as part of his birthday celebration.

The energy crisis and its effects on the airline industry are putting a damper on fun in the sun, and the Caribbean is being particularly affected. The high cost of fuel is leading the airlines to increase their prices, cut back on expenses and even cancel flights. The result is that fewer people are traveling, as they are unable or unwilling to pay the increased fares, and the ones who do fly are suffering the consequences, as are small Caribbean nations.

Tourism is vital to the economy of this region. Many of the islands rely on tourism to keep their economies afloat. Last year the area drew more than 15 million visitors from around the world.

One of the reasons the Caribbean is being hit so hard is because of its dependency on American Airlines, which controls most of the market. One of the hardest-hit islands is the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. American Airlines announced that it is planning to cut daily flights out of San Juan from 93 to 51 by September. Some of the flights that will be cut are to the islands of Antigua, St. Maarten, Aruba and several locations in the Dominican Republic.

Puerto Rico's tourism industry is an important part of its economy. It generates almost $3 billion each year and provides jobs for more than 60,000 people. There is also concern that the airline crisis will spill over to the cruise industry. The port of San Juan is the third-busiest cruise port in the world, with about 1.4 million passengers a year.

Tourism to the Caribbean is turning more and more into a luxury. Those who are wealthy will continue to pay the price, even if it is higher, but those who are on a budget will think twice before undertaking the expense. This will particularly hurt those resorts that cater to budget-minded families.

Getting back to the U.S. from St. Barth's was not any easier than getting there. The small airline we had been booked on was still in the middle of its labor dispute, and there was only one flight leaving that day -- maybe. We again were lucky enough to get on another small commuter plane to get to St. Maarten and wait a few hours before our flight to Miami left. It could have been worse. We could have been on the flight to New York that was canceled.

I don't doubt for a minute that each of us who flew here to celebrate our dear friend's birthday would swear it was worth every minute of inconvenience. But it sure makes you hope he can pick a more convenient location in which to celebrate next time -- and, of course, that the airline industry gets its act together. It's hard to make travel plans when you don't know if the planes will be coming or going, or taking off at all.

Maria Elena Salinas can be reached at www.mariaesalinas.com.

(July 5, 2008)