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<span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">Air Jamaica aims to fly high again</span> </span>
New owners are refreshing the company with a new fleet of planes and service that includes free meals and checked baggage.
For more than 40 years, Air Jamaica has been revered by loyal customers as the “little piece of Jamaica that flies,” but growing debt weighed heavily on its future. Now the iconic airline has a new lease on life.
Trinidad’s Caribbean Airlines Limited, which acquired the Jamaican national carrier less than a year ago, officially relaunched it last month
Caribbean Airlines’ goal is to operate Air Jamaica as one of two brands under its umbrella. South Florida travelers like the strategy.
“I think it’s good the new owners have recognized the value of keeping Air Jamaica as a brand,” Kingston attorney and frequent flier John Bassie said recently at a Plantation relaunch event for the airline.
Air Jamaica flies daily nonstops from Fort Lauderdale to Jamaica’s Kingston and Montego Bay airports. Fort Lauderdale became its South Florida hub when it pulled out of Miami in February 2009.
South Floridians will be encouraged by the changes taking place, said Air Jamaica’s senior manager of sales William Rodgers. They include a new 737-800 fleet with a new paint scheme.
The first plane in this fleet – the Spirit of Kingston – was unveiled last month in Kingston sporting the new livery and a Caribbean Airlines logo beneath Air Jamaica’s.
The Boeing 737-800 aircrafts – expected to be fully in place by end of April – will replace its Airbus A-320 fleet and have more cargo capacity to ensure that “you’ll arrive with your bags,” Rodgers said.
The in-flight food service in economy cabin on long-haul destinations such as Philadelphia, New York and Toronto will be revamped to include a complimentary meal, not a snack, he said.
Air Jamaica will also continue to allow economy class passengers traveling between North America and the Caribbean, two free pieces of checked baggage at 50 pounds each and a carry-on at 22 pounds.
The market for nonstop flights between Jamaica and South Florida also is served by Spirit Airlines, which flies from Fort Lauderdale to Montego Bay and Kingston, and by American Airlines, which ended Fort Lauderdale-Kingston service in 2009, but still flies to the Jamaican capital from Miami.
Rodgers said plans are afoot to resume service to Miami, Chicago and Baltimore. Flights to London are also expected to resume this summer.
Caribbean Airlines has an 84 percent stake in the new combined airline, which has an estimated value of $500 million. The Jamaican government — Air Jamaica’s former owner, will retain 16 percent.
Years of unprofitability forced the government to put its national treasure up for sale in 2008 as it battled rising operating costs and competition from legacy and low-cost airlines.
Here
New owners are refreshing the company with a new fleet of planes and service that includes free meals and checked baggage.
For more than 40 years, Air Jamaica has been revered by loyal customers as the “little piece of Jamaica that flies,” but growing debt weighed heavily on its future. Now the iconic airline has a new lease on life.
Trinidad’s Caribbean Airlines Limited, which acquired the Jamaican national carrier less than a year ago, officially relaunched it last month
Caribbean Airlines’ goal is to operate Air Jamaica as one of two brands under its umbrella. South Florida travelers like the strategy.
“I think it’s good the new owners have recognized the value of keeping Air Jamaica as a brand,” Kingston attorney and frequent flier John Bassie said recently at a Plantation relaunch event for the airline.
Air Jamaica flies daily nonstops from Fort Lauderdale to Jamaica’s Kingston and Montego Bay airports. Fort Lauderdale became its South Florida hub when it pulled out of Miami in February 2009.
South Floridians will be encouraged by the changes taking place, said Air Jamaica’s senior manager of sales William Rodgers. They include a new 737-800 fleet with a new paint scheme.
The first plane in this fleet – the Spirit of Kingston – was unveiled last month in Kingston sporting the new livery and a Caribbean Airlines logo beneath Air Jamaica’s.
The Boeing 737-800 aircrafts – expected to be fully in place by end of April – will replace its Airbus A-320 fleet and have more cargo capacity to ensure that “you’ll arrive with your bags,” Rodgers said.
The in-flight food service in economy cabin on long-haul destinations such as Philadelphia, New York and Toronto will be revamped to include a complimentary meal, not a snack, he said.
Air Jamaica will also continue to allow economy class passengers traveling between North America and the Caribbean, two free pieces of checked baggage at 50 pounds each and a carry-on at 22 pounds.
The market for nonstop flights between Jamaica and South Florida also is served by Spirit Airlines, which flies from Fort Lauderdale to Montego Bay and Kingston, and by American Airlines, which ended Fort Lauderdale-Kingston service in 2009, but still flies to the Jamaican capital from Miami.
Rodgers said plans are afoot to resume service to Miami, Chicago and Baltimore. Flights to London are also expected to resume this summer.
Caribbean Airlines has an 84 percent stake in the new combined airline, which has an estimated value of $500 million. The Jamaican government — Air Jamaica’s former owner, will retain 16 percent.
Years of unprofitability forced the government to put its national treasure up for sale in 2008 as it battled rising operating costs and competition from legacy and low-cost airlines.
Here
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