 | |||||||
 Caribbean AirlinesBoeing 737 MAX 8 in current livery | |||||||
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| Founded | 27 November 1939 (asBWIA) 19 September 2006 (as Caribbean Airlines) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1 January 2007 | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Caribbean Miles[1] | ||||||
| Fleet size | 20 | ||||||
| Destinations | 28 | ||||||
| Parent company | Government of Jamaica (11.9%) Government of Trinidad and Tobago (88.1%) | ||||||
| Headquarters | Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago | ||||||
| Key people | Nirmala Ramai (CEO) (acting) & (COO) | ||||||
| Net income |  USD$ 24 million[2] | ||||||
| Employees | 1,600[3] | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
Caribbean Airlines Limited is thestate-owned airline andflag carrier ofTrinidad and Tobago andJamaica.[4] Headquartered in Iere House inPiarco, the airline operates flights to the Caribbean, North America and South America from its base atPiarco International Airport, Trinidad. Presently Caribbean Airlines employs more than 1,600 people and is the largest airline in the Caribbean.[5] The company slogan isThe Warmth of the Islands.[6]
The current Chief Executive Officer (acting) is Nirmala Ramai,[7] the current chief operating officer. She was appointed after the resignation of Garvin Medera, who had been CEO for the past eight years.[8] The current board of directors are Reyna Kowlessar as chairman with Videsh Praim as vice-chairman, and Darren Ali, Lauren Perth, and Selwyn Cudjoe as directors.[9]
Caribbean Airlines wasincorporated in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on 27 September 2006.
In September 2006, following the recommendation of Peter Davies, the CEO ofBWIA West Indies Airways, Caribbean Airlines got approval from the Trinidad and Tobago government to begin operations, after the failed negotiations between the unions and the management of its predecessor, BWIA. As a result, it was announced on 8 September 2006, that BWIA was to be shut down before the launch of Caribbean Airlines. 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 asManchester Airport,London Heathrow Airport,New York City andToronto, with intermediate stops atBarbados orAntigua, ceased services to and fromSaint Lucia, cut its fleet to sixBoeing 737-800 jet aircraft retrofitted withwingtip devices (winglets) and reduced its staff to 800, with a majority of the staff former BWIA workers now contracted.
The new airline's capital included funds to close and settle BWIA's operations.[10] The company commenced operations on 1 January 2007, servicing the remaining routes of BWIA.[11]
Caribbean Airlines began operations with a fleet of six Boeing 737-800 aircraft and oneAirbus A340-313 with the latter aircraft type operating the London Heathrow route until May 2007. The airline offered two classes of service, first/business class and economy class on both the Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Caribbean Airlines operated daily direct services to Miami, Toronto, New York, Jamaica (with stops in Barbados and Antigua/St. Maarten), Guyana, Suriname andLondon Heathrow till May 2007 due to the ICC 2007 Cricket World Cup, all out of its hub atPiarco International Airport. Peter Davies resigned from his position as CEO, effective 30 September 2007, but remained as a strategic advisor to Caribbean Airlines.[12] In the first half of 2007, twoAirbus A340-200 planes and aBoeing 737 Next Generation Boeing 737-800, 9Y-GND, were returned toInternational Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) andGE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS), respectively.
On 1 October 2007, Philip Saunders,Star Alliance VP Commercial, was appointed the new chief executive officer of Caribbean Airlines. Subsequently, the airline took over operations ofTobago Express, its domestic arm at a cost of US$24 million with the intentions to upgrade the fleet ofBombardier Dash-8 Q300 to international standards and also adding new Caribbean destinations to be served via this regional airlinesubsidiary.
In March 2008, the airline added a daily direct service to theSimón Bolívar International Airport inCaracas, using the Dash 8 aircraft. In May 2008, Caribbean Airlines acquired a seventhBoeing 737-800 aircraft.[13] The airline added a new U.S. route on 22 May toFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport fromPiarco International Airport. This route began operations on a four times per week schedule and later in July of the same year, the frequency was increased to daily service.
On 15 November 2008,Transavia Airlines agreed to operate a wet-lease operation on behalf of Caribbean Airlines, it increased its fleet to eightBoeing 737-800. The aircraft was re-fitted to the standard 16/138 configuration including an extra nine inches of seat pitch in the business class cabin, due to a different galley and closet placement. This allowed the airline to increase flight frequency to meet demand for the peak travel periods. The lease was contracted to be in effect until 15 April 2009. The aircraft was returned in June 2009, andSun Country Airlines, a U.S. air carrier, then leased a Boeing 737-800 to Caribbean Airlines.
In April 2009, the airline increased its frequency of service toSimón Bolívar International Airport inCaracas from a daily service to ten flights per week. The route was operated by theBombardier Dash-8 Q300, configured for 50 passengers in an all economy service. Daily flights to its gatewaysFort Lauderdale andMiami continued. Services toToronto andNew York City remained at twice daily and 20 weekly (up to 28 weekly in peak season), respectively.
On 27 July 2009, Philip Saunders announced his resignation as CEO of Caribbean Airlines, for personal reasons. Caribbean Airlines appointed Captain Ian Brunton in October 2009 as CEO of the airline.[14] Also in 2009, Caribbean Airlines operated services from the southernCaribbean toJamaica, as well as South America, includingSuriname,Guyana andVenezuela. The airline also continued to serve the United States and Canada, inMiami,Fort Lauderdale,New York City andToronto, having also established acodeshare agreement withBritish Airways, for services toLondon and beyond. As of 2009, the airline operated a fleet of eightBoeing 737-800 aircraft and fiveBombardier Dash-8 Q300 aircraft, out of its main hub at Piarco International Airport, Trinidad. The Dash 8 aircraft have since been replaced with new ATR 72-600, a larger turboprop aircraft.
Caribbean Airlines Limited, through the government of Trinidad and Tobago, announced plans to operate a base in Jamaica following the divestment ofAir Jamaica which was slated to occur between 30 April 2010 to that same period in 2011. Caribbean Airlines provided a seamless transition following Air Jamaica's closure. When the deal was finalized, Caribbean Airlines Limited became the largest airline in the Caribbean with a new hub in Kingston Jamaica'sNorman Manley International Airport. The divestment was scheduled to become effective on 30 April 2010 after it was rescheduled from 12 April 2010. On this day, it was planned that Air Jamaica would cease operations and Caribbean Airlines will then acquire the airline's most profitable routes and their remaining six aircraft. Plans were also announced to replace the aircraft fleet with all Boeing 737-800 Next Generation jets.
On 4 March 2010, Caribbean Airlines announced they would terminate their codeshare agreement with British Airways for the Port of Spain-London Gatwick route effective 27 March 2010 thus paving the way for a nonstop service to be operated by Caribbean betweenPiarco International Airport and London, UK.
On 28 April 2010, Caribbean Airlines Limited andAir Jamaica signed a final agreement for the purchase of Air Jamaica by Caribbean Airlines Limited, following the signing of a letter of intent to merge in January of the same year.[15] The agreement stated that Caribbean would continue operating Air Jamaica's routes and also retain 900 of Air Jamaica's employees. Financing was provided by the government of Trinidad and Tobago, which contributed around $50 million to complete the merger, and Jamaica, which assumed more than $800 million in costs related to the closure of Air Jamaica.[citation needed]
In August 2010, Caribbean Airlines and Air India signed a travel pact for Trinidadians travelling to India. In October, the airline announced a fleet renewal consisting of fifteen (15)Boeing 737-800 Next Generation jets and nineATR 72-600turboprop aircraft. The new Boeing jets were intended to replace Air Jamaica's operating fleet of Airbus aircraft.[16]
On 27 May 2011, the acquisition of Air Jamaica was completed, with Finance Minister Winston Dookeran and Jamaican Finance Minister Audley Shaw at the Prime Minister' St. Clair office, signing the shareholding agreement. This agreement allows the Jamaican government to own a 16% stake of Caribbean Airlines Limited. On 28 October 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation fined Caribbean Airlines $60,000 for limiting reimbursements for lost, damaged and delayed baggage to less than consumers were entitled under the Montreal Convention.[17]
According to chairman of the board of Caribbean Airlines George Nicholas III, Caribbean Airlines is pursuing a relationship withStar Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance, in an effort to support Jamaican hoteliers.[needs update] It is also reported they are preparing to start a route to Mumbai, but no date has been given. Also, Nicholas announced that Johannesburg, Nigeria, and Brazil are possible contenders for new routes. Chicago and Atlanta are the two new U.S. gateways that are being considered, Nicholas stated.[18]
On 29 March 2013, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) fined the airline $100,000 for not providing passengers with an opportunity to leave a plane that was delayed on the tarmac at New York's JFK Airport for more than four hours.
In early 2016, the management of Caribbean Airlines has set as an agenda to consider replacing itsATR fleet with comparable turboprops sourced fromBombardier due to persistent reliability problems. The former chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Di Lollo described the ATRs as "not mission capable" after they suffered from frequent AOG (Aircraft On Ground) occurrences. On his recommendation, efforts were made to sourcingDash 8-400 aircraft to replace the carrier's fleet of five ATR72-600s.[19]
Also in early 2016, the airline returned its twoBoeing 767-300ER aircraft to their lessor, coinciding with termination of its only European route toLondon Gatwick Airport on 10 January 2016, as part of a streamlining exercise to remove unprofitable routes.[20]
In 2018, the airline posted an order for737 MAX-8 aircraft, to replace the aging fleet of737-800 aircraft. The order was initially placed in 2018, and put on hold after thegrounding of the 737 MAX family.[21]
Also in 2018, the services Caribbean Cafe and Caribbean Plus were launched for the first time. Caribbean Plus served as an upgraded economy class with larger seats and extra legroom, but with the same service. Caribbean Cafe offered buy-on-board local snacks, drinks and amenities.
In 2019, the airline posted its first profit of four million ($4,000,000 U.S.) dollars.[22]
In 2020, the airline began a rebranding exercise, introducing a new logo and livery. The first aircraft to receive the new livery, was an ATR 72-600, 9Y-TTI. The new logo retains the iconic hummingbird while infusing fluid lines and brighter hues to embody the spirit of flight, the vibrancy of Caribbean culture and connectivity within the region.[23] The rest of the existing ATR fleet was repainted gradually, with the last aircraft being repainted in 2024.
In late 2021, the airline began receiving the first of 12 737 MAX-8 aircraft, ordered previously in 2018. The delivery came a year after the 737 MAX was cleared for service by the FAA. Over the course of the next few months, the airline received 9 of these aircraft, ultimately phasing out the 737-800 entirely by 2023.[24]
The new aircraft were painted in the rebranded livery, with a vastly modernized cabin. The cabin configuration was very similar to that of the 737-800, albeit with slightly more seats. Caribbean View, a stream-to-your-device onboard entertainment system was implemented previously, but was improved on the new aircraft including personal touchscreens for Business Class Passengers.
In 2023, the airline announced that flights toCaracas, Venezuela would be restarted on a weekly basis, with frequency expected to increase. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caribbean Airlines began flights toDominica, restarted flights toFt. Lauderdale and Caracas, introduced a temporary route fromGeorgetown, Guyana toHouston and stated their plans for fleet expansion and additional destinations in the Caribbean.[25]
In July 2023, it was announced that new flights toTortola, British Virgin Islands andSan Juan, Puerto Rico were tentatively approved. An Eastern Caribbean route expansion, including flights toBasseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis, was also announced with new flights fromBarbados,St. Lucia-Castries,St. Vincent-Argyle,Dominica-Douglas Charles andAntigua. This route expansion coincided with the airline's order for additional ATR 72-600 aircraft.[26]
In July 2024, the airline began nonstop service between Port of Spain and San Juan, Puerto Rico.[27] Flights toTortola, British Virgin Islands were announced for October 2024 operating on a milk-run service between Trinidad, Antigua/Barbados, Tortola and San Juan. In October 2024, flights to both Martinique and Guadeloupe were announced for December 2024, and the airline was given further clearance from the government to acquire additional aircraft for expansions into North and South America.[28]
As of October 2024, the TSA PreCheck program announced that Caribbean Airlines has been added to the list of new participating airlines.[29]
The colors of Caribbean Airlines are blue, green and purple and are represented in the new staff uniforms, all featuring thehummingbird, thelogo of Caribbean Airlines.
BWIA's logo was asteelpan. Caribbean Airlines' image is ahummingbird in flight.[30] 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".[31] All aircraft in the fleet carry the flag of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the flag ofCARICOM.[32]
The airline had four designs on the tails of itsde Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 regional aircraft before these twin turboprops were phased out of the fleet (9Y-WIT was not painted). One of the designs raised controversy, due to its usage of theBalisier flower, the symbol of the former rulingPeople's National Movement political party.[33] The logo was subsequently redesigned without the flower[34] and replaced with fruits. The tail designs featured asteelpan,cricket balls,fruits,corals,fish andbutterflies.
Caribbean Airlines has a theme song arranged in a traditionalTrinidadian calypso music style. It was originally recorded by Explainer and the song is called "Lorraine".[35] The original lyrics, which talk about a man who needs to escape the cold United States and get back to the Caribbean,[36] were modified to fit Caribbean Airlines.
In 2020, the airline rebranded itself by launching a new logo and livery. The first aircraft to receive the new livery, is the airline's 9Y-TTI ATR aircraft. The new logo retains the iconic hummingbird while infusing fluid lines and brighter hues to embody the spirit of flight, the vibrancy of Caribbean culture and connectivity within the region.[23]
Caribbean Beat Magazine, established in 1992, is Caribbean Airlines' complimentary, bi-monthly in-flight magazine. It has been produced since inception byMedia and Editorial Projects Limited. When the print magazine had to be temporarily removed from flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic,[38] a digital-only version was introduced in July 2020,[39] followed by a digital-only brand extension calledWanderer by Caribbean Beat in October 2020.[40]Caribbean Beat Magazine returned to print format in March 2021.[41]
The airline's frequent-flyer program is calledCaribbean Miles. The three tiers of the program are called Silver, Gold and Executive Gold.[1]
Caribbean Airlines operates scheduled services to many destinations.
While there was a priorcodeshare agreement between the carrier andAir Canada,[42] Caribbean Airlines no longer undertakes these arrangements and instead has the more streamlinedinterline agreement alongside their partner airlines:Caribbean Airlines has alsoInterline agreements with:
As of August 2025[update], Caribbean Airlines operates the following aircraft:[49]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y+ | Y | Total | ||||
| ATR 72-600 | 10 | 4 | — | — | 68 | 68 | [50] |
| Boeing 737-800 | 1 | — | — | — | 189 | 189 | [51] |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 9 | 3 | 16 | 36 | 108 | 160 | [52] |
| Embraer E175 | — | 5 | TBA | [53] | |||
| Cargo fleet | |||||||
| ATR 72-600F | — | 2 | Cargo | [53] | |||
| Boeing 737-800F | — | 2 | Cargo | [53] | |||
| Total | 20 | 16 | |||||
Caribbean Airlines previously operated the following aircraft:[citation needed]
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A340-300 | 2 | 2007 | 2007 | Taken fromBWIA West Indies Airways |
| Boeing 737-800 | 21 | 2007 | 2023 | |
| Boeing 767-300ER | 2 | 2012 | 2016 | Taken fromLAN Airlines |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 | 5 | 2007 | 2014 | Taken fromTobago Express |
Media related toCaribbean Airlines at Wikimedia Commons
