Trinidad and Tobago

Caribbean Airlines faces substantial challenges in achieving success on long-haul flights to London

Caribbean Airlines faces an uphill climb now that is has solidified plans to re-enter the trans-Atlantic long-haul market in June from its Port of Spain, Trinidad hub to London Gatwick International airport. Service from the Caribbean to Europe by airlines based in the islands has traditionally underperformed, as the complexity of operating a small fleet of widebody aircraft helped to stifle profitability. But Caribbean, now the largest carrier in the region, seems convinced it is necessary to give the trans-Atlantic market a second try.

Both Caribbean and Air Jamaica, which was acquired by Caribbean in 2010, have tried in the past to sustain long-haul service to the UK. Caribbean’s predecessor BWIA sold its London Heathrow slots to British Airways (BA) and started codesharing with BA in 2007 on flights from London to Port of Spain. Air Jamaica sold its London Heathrow slots to Virgin Atlantic in 2007 and also began codesharing on the UK-based carrier’s flights from Gatwick to Kingston and Montego Bay.

Lack of liberalisation in the Caribbean poses major roadblock to REDjet expansion

REDjet, the first and only Caribbean low-cost carrier, is aiming to pursue dramatic expansion in 2012 with up to eight new destinations. The ambitious and pioneering carrier, which launched services in May-2011, plans to add three destinations by early April, giving it a total of nine. The carrier aims to end the year with a network of up to 14 destinations throughout the Caribbean, northern South America and potentially Central America.

New Surinam Airways flight to Miami boosts Guyana market

The Guyana market will see a major capacity boost in April when the small South American country receives only its fourth international carrier, Surinam Airways. The flag carrier of neighbouring Suriname will link Guyana's Georgetown with Suriname's Paramaribo and, more importantly, Miami. The Miami-Georgetown service, which will begin on 02-Apr-2012, will be the first service connecting the two cities non-stop in over a decade.

Surinam Airways’ new Miami-Georgetown flights will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays with Boeing 737-300s. Flights will then continue onto the carrier’s main base, Paramaribo’s Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport.

One airline, two brands serve Caribbean

As headlines in Jamaica touted the end of an era, Caribbean Airlines, which acquired Air Jamaica in May, promised to become a “truly Caribbean airline” to serve the Caribbean as one airline but two brands. The two brands are now operating under the Caribbean Airlines BW code as they continue to integrate operations, ending Air Jamaica’s troubled 42-year history.

Open skies with Jamaica to be renegotiated

The transition of services from Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) has encountered a glitch in that CAL lacks permission to serve the US and the rights apparently do not transfer once the CAL acquires Air Jamaica.