Air Jamaica

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Air Jamaica
IATA
JM		 ICAO
AJM		 Callsign
JAMAICA
Founded October 1968[1]
Commenced operations 1969-04-01[1]
Hubs Sangster International Airport
Norman Manley International Airport
Frequent flyer program 7th Heaven
Fleet size 11
Destinations 14
Parent company Ministry of Finance and the Public Service
Headquarters Kingston, Jamaica
Key people Shirley Williams (Chairman Of The Board)
Bruce Nobles (President and CEO)
Website: http://www.airjamaica.com

Air Jamaica, Ltd is Jamaica's national airline, and id headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica. It operates scheduled services from Kingston and Montego Bay to 14 destinations in the Caribbean, Canada, the United States. Air Jamaica's main base is Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston with a hub at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay [2]. The airline has had no fatal accidents.

Contents

[edit] History

Air Jamaica was established in October 1968 and started operations on 1 April 1969, connecting Kingston and Montego Bay, with New York and Miami[2]. At that time the Jamaican government owned a substantial part of the airline, with Air Canada owning a minor share and providing technical, maintenance and logistical help.

During the 1970s, Air Jamaica expanded rapidly. Flights were added to Toronto and Montreal in Canada, to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico, to Philadelphia and many other destinations, especially across the Caribbean. Long-haul services to Europe were started on 1 April 1974. Air Jamaica used Douglas DC-8s for a large part of the 1970s, but the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727 jets became a part of the fleet towards the end of the decade when the government bought over Air Canada's small share. During the 1980s, growth slowed. Nevertheless, new routes were still opened, to Baltimore and Atlanta.

Airbus A340 landing at London Heathrow Airport

During the 1990s Air Jamaica continued to expand: the airline took over the Kingston-Nassau, Bahamas route, which had been left by British Airways, began a code sharing agreement with Delta Air Lines and opened routes to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix (which was later dropped), and to Frankfurt, London, Manchester, Santo Domingo and Ft. Lauderdale. The route to Phoenix was opened because Air Jamaica was looking for expansion in the American West, beyond its route to Los Angeles. In 1994 the company was partially privatized, with the government retaining 25% of the company and giving 5% of it to the airline's employees. It began buying Airbus equipment, including the Airbus A340, and began a feeder service, a frequent flyer program (7th Heaven), and an inflight magazine, named SkyWritings.

In December 2004, after financial losses, the Government of Jamaica took back full ownership of Air Jamaica. It employed 2,522 as of March 2007.[2] The last private owner was Gordon Stewart, chairman and founder of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts.[3]

In September 2007, the new Jamaican government began to consider privatization of Air Jamaica.[4] Investors with interest in the airline are speculated to be China National Aviation Holding Company (parent company of Air China), Delta Air Lines, Virgin Group (parent company of Virgin Atlantic Airways), Iberia Airlines (the national airline of Spain) and the The Emirates Group (the Emirates Group is the parent company of Emirates Airlines) and Caribbean Airlines. A private Jamaican, Spanish, British and American consortium is in talks with the Government of Jamaica to bid for the national carrier as well.[5] Air Jamaica's complete privitisation and divestment was extended from March to June 2009.[4]

In October 2007, Bruce Nobles, former President and Chief Operational Officer of Air Jamaica from May 2002 to June 2003, was asked to return to the national airline, replacing William Rogers, who was interim President and CEO of the airline since the October 2007 resignation of CEO Michael Conway.

[edit] Spirit Airlines acquisition

In July 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner reported that US-based Spirit Airlines had reached an agreement with the Jamaican government to acquire the national airline.[6]

[edit] Destinations

[citation needed]

Airbus A340 landing at London Heathrow Airport

[edit] Caribbean

[edit] North America

[edit] Fleet

The Air Jamaica fleet consists of the following aircraft (as at June 2009)

Air Jamaica Fleet
Aircraft In Service On Order Notes
Airbus A319-100 1 0 With an average age of 1.1 years
Airbus A320-200 7 0 With an average fleet age of 8.6 years.
Airbus A321-200 3 0 With an average fleet age of 5.3 years.
Total 11 0

[edit] Aircraft previously operated

The Air Jamaica fleet consists of the following aircraft (as at June 2009)

Air Jamaica Retired Fleet
Aircraft
Airbus A300
Airbus A310
Airbus A340
Boeing 727
Boeing 747
Douglas DC-8
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
McDonnell Douglas MD-83

[edit] Fleet reduction and flight changes

On 27 January 2009, President and CEO Bruce Nobles announced cuts to routes, staff and fleet.[citation needed] By 1 March 2009, Air Jamaica's fleet will consist of nine aircraft. The types of aircraft to be retained are unknown. Air Jamaica will be returning five aircraft to lessors and renegotiating the leases on the nine that they keep.

In March, Nobles also announced the airline's new "Buy on Board" programme, which passengers will have to purchase meals in Economy class, while Lovebird and Executive classes will receive free meals and drinks.[citation needed] Nobles stated that the Buy on Board progamme will help Air Jamaica "be more competitive in the airline industry".[citation needed] Routes such as Miami and Atlanta and Los Angeles are being axed.

[edit] Air Jamaica cargo

Air Jamaica Cargo's Head Office is at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. Air Jamaica Cargo has 70% of the airfreight market between Jamaica and the rest of the world.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9. http://www.airwaysnews.com. 
  2. ^ a b c Flight International 27 March 2007
  3. ^ "With Privatization, a New Era ahead for Air Jamaica". Travel Agent: 55. December 22, 2008. http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-122208/#/57/OnePage. 
  4. ^ a b [1]
  5. ^ Air J/Virgin deal a priority for new transport minister
  6. ^ Report: Spirit Airlines buys Air Jamaica

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Jamaica"
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