Airline competition in the Caribbean is set to heat up with the planned entry of two new start-ups Eastern Caribbean Express and Caribbean Star Airlines, putting added pressure on the region's financially struggling regional operators to restructure and realign operations.
Eastern Caribbean aims to start in April, using three Bombardier Dash 8-100s. The St Lucia-based carrier is negotiating to dry-lease the 37-seat aircraft from Bombardier and is recruiting initial staff of about 70. It is modelling its low cost operation on Air Jamaica Express.
The carrier is privately owned by local resort owner and Air Jamaica shareholder Gordon Stewart. East Caribbean will operate in support of the Jamaican national carrier, providing daily connections from Barbados to Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and Tobago.
Caribbean Star also wants an April start and is believed to be negotiating to lease up to five ATR 42 turboprops. The privately owned Antiguan carrier will threaten incumbent LIAT, struggling to restructure its operations and debt (Flight International, 3-9 November).
Meanwhile incumbent carrier HelenAir and BWIA West Indies Airways have signed a five-year tie-up. St Lucia-based HelenAir will adopt the brand of BWIA's own regional, Dash 8 operator BWee Express, and synchronise flights between St Lucia and Barbados. Connections to Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Vincent and the Grenadines islands will be improved.
Source: Flight International
