David Learmount/LONDON
BWIA INTERNATIONAL Airways has ordered five Embraer EMB-145 regional jets and placed options on five more. The Trinidad-based carrier's president, Ed Wegel, also says that he is talking to Boeing about the 777 as an ultimate replacement for three 767-300ERs which it is leasing alongside eight 757s in a major fleet-renewal programme.
Speaking during a visit to London, Wegel said, that the recently privatised carrier is engaged in exploratory talks, with the Governments of Antigua and Barbados, about the possibility of operating national carriers for them, including discussions of around a 30% investment in Antigua's state-owned carrier, LIAT, which itself is headed for privatisation.
Wegel says that BWIA's first EMB-145s will enter service in the fourth quarter of 1996, servicing the carrier's larger Caribbean destinations, such as Caracas, Venezuela; Georgetown, Guyana; St Johns, Antigua; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Kingston, Jamaica.
For links to the smaller Caribbean destinations, the airline has now launched its BWIA Express service in association with three regional carriers: Cardinal Airlines of Dominica, Antigua's Carib Aviation, and Trans Island Air of Barbados. This connects 27 Caribbean Island destinations to BWIA's Port of Spain, Trinidad hub. Wegel expects the closer links to increase BWIA's traffic by 5%.
The first phase of the Express plan, involving operational co-ordination, joint fares and special promotions, is almost complete, Wegel says. The next phase will include the offer of equity investment, adoption of the BWIA Express logo, standardisation of customer service and joint advertising. On 21 July, BWIA is to join American Airlines' Sabre Computer reservations system, to help market a seamless service into the previously fragmented Caribbean transport system.
Deliveries of BWIA's 767s start in November, to take over from five Lockheed TriStars; replacement of its seven McDonnell Douglas MD-83s with eight 757s is to start in early 1996. Part of the reason for 757 acquisition, says Wegel, is additional cargo capacity, but BWIA also plans to obtain two 727 freighters to form the basis of a new cargo division.
Wegel says, that the fleet renewal, is expected to be completed in 1997.
Source: Flight International
