Caribbean Airlines

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Caribbean Airlines
IATA
BW		 ICAO
BWA		 Callsign
CARIBBEAN AIRLINES
Founded 2006
Hubs Piarco International Airport
Focus cities Grantley Adams International Airport
Frequent flyer program Caribbean Miles [1]
Member lounge Club Caribbean [2]
Fleet size 12
Destinations 13
Headquarters Flag of Trinidad and TobagoPort of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Key people Mr. Philip Saunders (CEO) Mr. Arthur Lok Jack (Chairman)
Website: http://www.caribbean-airlines.com

Caribbean Airlines is the National Flag Carrier of Trinidad and Tobago, with its main hub at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad [3]. It operates international services in the Caribbean and to the United States, Canada and South America. The airline is wholly owned by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and began operations on January 1, 2007 to replace its predecessor BWIA West Indies Airways.

Contents

[edit] History

Caribbean Airlines was incorporated in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on September 27, 2006. For legal purposes the airline has a fully owned subsidiary in the United Kingdom, named Caribbean Airlines (UK) Ltd.[4] that was registered on October 4, 2006. The company commenced operations on January 1, 2007 and operates the routes formerly handled by BWIA West Indies Airways.[5]

Caribbean Airlines got approval in September 2006 from the Trinidad and Tobago Government to begin operations, after the failed negotiations between the unions and the management of its predecessor BWIA, and took to the skies on January 1, 2007. The airline's initial funding included funds to close and settle BWIA's operations [6]. During the last quarter of 2006, in an effort to scale down operations for the start of Caribbean Airlines, BWIA's management cut routes such as Washington Dulles International Airport, Manchester Airport and London Heathrow Airport [7], cut its fleet to 6 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each to be retrofitted with winglets and reduced its staff to 600.

On October 1, 2007, Caribbean Airlines took over operations of Tobago Express, its domestic arm at a cost of US$24million [8]. Caribbean Airlines has stated its intentions to upgrade the fleet of Bombardier Dash-8 Q300 up to international standards and add new Caribbean destinations through the arm [9]. The airline added a route to the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas using the Dash 8 aircraft in March 2008.

In March 2008 the Government of Trinidad and Tobago announced its intentions for Caribbean Airlines to acquire an executive jet for government and commercial use [10]. The announcement raised public controversy [11][12][13] when US$52 Million was transferred the following day [14] into a Caribbean Airlines account to facilitate the purchase. Subsequently, the government announced the deal fell through with the Bombardier company to acquire the aircraft [15].

Caribbean Airlines, in May 2008, acquired a 7th Boeing 737-800 aircraft (9Y-SLU) [16]. The airline has added a new route to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in the same month.

Caribbean Airlines presently operates services from Jamaica to the Southern Caribbean as well a South America including Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela. The airline also serves the United States (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and New York), Canada (Toronto) and has established a code share with British Airways, for services to London and beyond.

[edit] Logo

Caribbean Airline's image is a hummingbird in flight and other species of birds that are native to the Caribbean [17]. The image is a reference to the republic of Trinidad and Tobago where the island of Trinidad is known as "the land of the hummingbird" [18]/ All aircraft in the fleet carry the flag of Trinidad and Tobago as well as the flag of CARICOM [19]. The airline also uses 5 different designs on the tails of their Dash-8 fleet. One of the designs raised controversy due to its usage of the Balisier flower, the symbol of the ruling People's National Movement political party [20]. The logo was subsequently redesigned without the flower [21].

[edit] Destinations

Caribbean Airlines operates scheduled services to the following [22]:

North America
United Kingdom
Caribbean
South America

[edit] Current Fleet

Caribbean Airlines Airbus A340-300 taking off in January 2007. This aircraft temporarily retained the colours of Caribbean Airlines' predecessor airline until leaving the fleet – BWIA West Indies Airways
Caribbean Airlines Airbus A340-300 taking off in January 2007. This aircraft temporarily retained the colours of Caribbean Airlines' predecessor airline until leaving the fleet – BWIA West Indies Airways

The Caribbean Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (at May 2008):[3]

Caribbean Airlines Fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers
(Business Class/Economy)		 Notes
Boeing 737-800 7
 154 (16/138) [6]
160 (12/148) [1]		 Leased from the International Lease Finance Corporation
Bombardier Dash-8 Q300 5
 50 (All Economy)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Caribbean Miles, Caribbean Airlines Website, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  2. ^ Club Caribbean, Caribbean Airlines Website, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  3. ^ a b Flight International 3 April 2007
  4. ^ Why a new national airline?, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  5. ^ Bye Bye BWEE, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  6. ^ Friendly skies Caribbean Airlines forecasts profit next year, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  7. ^ Caribbean Airlines gives up London, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  8. ^ Caribbean Airlines to take over Tobago Express, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  9. ^ Caribbean Airlines moves to grab piece of Caribbean travel pie
  10. ^ No done deal Imbert: No money paid yet, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  11. ^ Private jet a Govt ‘gift’, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  12. ^ Jet will provoke population, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  13. ^ Parliament paid for jet?, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  14. ^ http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2008-03-05/news6.html, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  15. ^ No jet for Manning, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  16. ^ Caribbean Airlines on course to break even, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  17. ^ Caribbean Airlines launched, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  18. ^ Caribbean Media Corporation: Hummingbird for BWee's replacement, CANA News, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  19. ^ Caribbean Airlines gets ready, Trinidad Guardian, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  20. ^ Caribbean Airlines flies the balisier, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed 2 July 2008.
  21. ^ PNM joins Gingerbread House campaign Accessed 2 July 2008.
  22. ^ Route Map, Caribbean Airlines Website, Accessed 2 July 2008.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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