- Caribbean Airlines
Infobox_Airline
airline=Caribbean Airlines
logo=Caribbeanairlineslogo.jpg
logo_size=150
IATA=BW
ICAO=BWA
callsign=CARIBBEAN AIRLINES
founded=2006
headquarters=flagicon|Trinidad and TobagoPort of Spain ,Trinidad and Tobago
hubs=Piarco International Airport
focus_cities=Grantley Adams International Airport
frequent_flyer=Caribbean Miles [ [http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/miles/pands_CM.shtml Caribbean Miles] , Caribbean Airlines Website, "Accessed 2 July 2008".]
lounge=Club Caribbean [ [http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/pands_C.shtml Club Caribbean] , Caribbean Airlines Website, "Accessed 2 July 2008".]
fleet_size= 12
destinations=14
key_people= (CEO ) Mr. Philip Saunders (Chairman ) Mr. Arthur Lok Jack(The Corporate Clinic ) Mr. Shafeek GA Sultan-Khan (IMD ) Prof. Jean Frederic Mognetti
website= http://www.caribbean-airlines.comCaribbean Airlines is the national airline of
Trinidad and Tobago , with its main hub at thePiarco International Airport inTrinidad Flight International 3 April 2007] . It operates international services in theCaribbean and to theUnited States ,United Kingdom ,Canada andSouth America . The airline is wholly owned by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and began operations onJanuary 1 ,2007 to replace its predecessorBWIA West Indies Airways .History
Pre-Operations
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 theUnited Kingdom , named Caribbean Airlines (UK) Ltd. [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-12-03/martingeorge.html Why a new national airline?] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] that was registered onOctober 4 ,2006 . The company commenced operations onJanuary 1 2007 and operates the routes formerly handled byBWIA West Indies Airways . [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-09-09/news1.html Bye Bye BWEE] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".]Caribbean Airlines got approval following the recommendation of Peter Davies CEO of BWIA 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 [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2008-01-29/bussguardian1.html Friendly skies Caribbean Airlines forecasts profit next year] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . 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
Manchester Airport andLondon Heathrow Airport [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-11-21/business1.html Caribbean Airlines gives up London] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] , cut its fleet to 6Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each to be retrofitted with winglets and reduced its staff to 600. The previously operatedAirbus A340-300 (9Y-TJN) andBoeing 737-800 (9Y-GND) were returned to the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and GECAS (GE Commercial Aviation Services) in the first half of 2007 respectively.Peter Davies Era
Starting January 1st, 2007 Caribbean Airlines began operations with a fleet of 6
Boeing 737-800 aircrafts and 1Airbus A340-313 (operating the London Heathrow Route till May). Many previously operated routes byBWIA West Indies Airways were removed from the revised schedule. Caribbean Airlines operated daily direct services to Miami, Totonto, and New York, Jamacia (with stops in Barbados and Antigua/Saint Martin), Guyana, Suraname, and London Heathrow (till May 2007) all out of its hub atPiarco International Airport . Peter Davies resigned effective September 30, 2007 but, remained as a strategic advisor to Caribbean Airlines.Philip Saunders Era
On
October 1 , 2007, Philp Saunders, Star Alliance VP commercial was appointed the newChief Executive of Caribbean Airlines. Subsequently, Caribbean Airlines took over operations ofTobago Express , its domestic arm at a cost of US$24million [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2007-08-31/business4.html Caribbean Airlines to take over Tobago Express] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . Caribbean Airlines intended to upgrade the fleet of Bombardier Dash-8 Q300 up to international standards and add new Caribbean destinations through the arm [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2007-09-11/bussguardian19.html Caribbean Airlines moves to grab piece of Caribbean travel pie] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] .The airline added a daily direct service to the
Simón Bolívar International Airport inCaracas using the Dash 8 aircraft in March 2008.Caribbean Airlines, in May 2008, acquired a 7th
Boeing 737-800 aircraft (9Y-SLU) [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2008-06-10/business2.html Caribbean Airlines on course to break even] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . The airline added a new US route on May 22nd toFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport fromPiarco International Airport . This route began operations four times weekly but, later in July the frequency was increased to a daily service.Caribbean Airlines increased their frequencies on multiple routes for the summer season. They enhanced their services to New York (3 daily), Toronto (11 weekly), and to other destinations in the Caribbean.
For Fall, Caribbean Airlines revised their schedule to offer easier connections from Guyana to New York, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Toronto via
Piarco International Airport .At the end of the year of 2008 Caribbean Airlines plans to break-even. This is despite the expected losses projected by economist in the aviation industry due to rise of aviation fuel.
Caribbean Airlines presently operates services from the
Southern Caribbean toJamaica as well asSouth America includingSuriname ,Guyana andVenezuela . The airline also serves theUnited States (Miami ,Fort Lauderdale , andNew York ),Canada (Toronto )and has established a code share withBritish Airways , for services toLondon and beyond. The airline currently operates a fleet of 7 Next GenerationBoeing 737-800 aircraft and 5 Bombardier Dash-8 Q300 aircraft out of its hub atPiarco International Airport .Logo
Caribbean Airline's image is a
hummingbird in flight [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-10-17/business4.html Caribbean Airlines launched] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . 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" [ [http://www.cananews.net/news/131/ARTICLE/2718/2006-10-18.html Caribbean Media Corporation: Hummingbird for BWee's replacement] , CANA News, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] / All aircraft in the fleet carry the flag of Trinidad and Tobago as well as the flag ofCARICOM [ [http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-10-19/bussguardian1.html Caribbean Airlines gets ready] , Trinidad Guardian, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . The airline also uses 5 different designs on the tails of their Dash-8s. One of the designs raised controversy due to its usage of the Balisier flower, the symbol of the rulingPeople's National Movement political party [ [http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,73623.html Caribbean Airlines flies the balisier] , Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . The logo was subsequently redesigned without the flower [ [http://www.newsday.co.tt/politics/0,74399.html PNM joins Gingerbread House campaign] , Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] . All of Caribbean AirlinesBoeing 737-800 aircrafts are outfitted with the livery while theBombardier Dash 8 Q300 aircraft are currently rolling out the livery across the fleet.Destinations
Caribbean Airlines operates scheduled services to the following [ [http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/pyt/routemap.html Route Map] , Caribbean Airlines Website, "Accessed 2 July 2008".] :
North America
*flagicon|Canada
Canada
**Toronto (Toronto Pearson International Airport )
*flagicon|USAUnited States
**Ft. Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport )
**New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport )
**Miami (Miami International Airport )Europe
*flagicon|UK
United Kingdom
**England (London Gatwick Airport ) {Codeshare withBritish Airways viaBarbados (ends October 2008); viaSt. Lucia (starts October 2008)}Caribbean
*flagicon|Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua
**(VC Bird International Airport )
*flagicon|BarbadosBarbados
**(Grantley Adams International Airport )
*flagicon|JamaicaJamaica
**(Norman Manley International Airport )
*flagicon|NetherlandsSaint Maarten
**(Princess Juliana International Airport )
*flagicon|Saint LuciaSt. Lucia
**(Hewanorra International Airport ) (Starts October 2008 via codeshare with British Airways)
*flagicon|Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad & Tobago
**Trinidad (Piarco International Airport ) Hub
**Tobago (Crown Point International Airport )outh America
*flagicon|Guyana
Guyana
**(Cheddi Jagan International Airport )
*flagicon|SurinameSuriname
**(Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport )
*flagicon|VenezuelaVenezuela
**(Simón Bolívar International Airport )Expansion Plans
Currently Caribbean Airlines is looking to expand to destinations in the Caribbean and the United States. During the month February 2008 Caribbean Airlines filed with the US Department of Transport (US DOT) to fly direct flights from Georgetown, Guyana to the United States (Examples Used: GEO-MIA, GEO-JFK). Their application was approved and currently allows them to start the route at anytime. Many people speculate about possible routes but, their are no offical announcements from Caribbean Airlines at this time. Additional aircrafts are expected to join the fleets of
Boeing 737-800 s andBombardier Dash 8 Q300 s to facilitate route network expansion. Caribbean Airlines is in negotations with the lessors for the new aircrafts.Fleet Details
Current Fleet
The Caribbean Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (at September 2008):
Former Fleet
*Airbus A340-313 -
** 9Y-TJN (Exited Service: May 2007)
*** Configuration: 284(32 business/252 economy)
*Boeing 737-800 -
** 9Y-GND (Exited Service: March 2007),
*** Configuration: 154(16 business/138 economy)
** 9Y-TJQ (Commenced Service: Novemmber 2007 & Exited Service: March 2008) "Wet-Leased for Winter period"
*** Configuration: 186(all economy)References
ee also
*
Caribbean Beat - Caribbean Airlines In-flight Magazine
*Tobago Express
*BWIA West Indies Airways External links
* [http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/ Caribbean Airlines official website]
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