Caricom Airways

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Caricom Airways
IATA ICAO Call sign
—CRBCARIBBEAN COMMUTER [1]
FoundedApril 2004
Ceased operationsSeptember 2018
Operating bases Zorg en Hoop Airport
Hubs Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport
Frequent-flyer program Caricom Privilege & Caricom Privilege BIZ
Alliance Surinam Airways & METS
Headquarters Paramaribo, Suriname
Key people Steven Rory Michael Chin-A-Kwie (CEO) & (Managing Director)
Website Caricom Airways

Caricom Airways (Caribbean Commuter Airways) was a Surinamese regional airline with headquarters in Paramaribo, Suriname. Caricom Airways mainly flew charter flights from Zorg en Hoop Airport to various destinations in the interior of Suriname, the Caribbean and Northern Brazil. [2] [3]

Contents

The airline had earlier temporarily set plans for regular regional flights aside for cooperation with Surinam Airways (SLM).[ citation needed ] As its feeder commuter airline, Caricom carried out scheduled flights to the hinterland of Suriname for SLM. In collaboration with SLM, Caricom Airways reintroduced domestic service to various destinations in Suriname using three aircraft belonging to Caricom Airways: two Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders and a Cessna 206. Operational control remained in the hands of Caricom Airways, while SLM periodically performed quality checks on the aircraft and audited the airline. This joint venture also included METS Tours, a subsidiary of Surinam Airways. Caricom Airways retained its identity but joined SLM's quality program and flew with their colours. [4] [5]

Caricom Airways was planning to add four 50 seat-turboprops to its fleet of smaller Islander, Cessna and Piper aircraft to launch regional scheduled flights[ citation needed ]. The airline did not finalize this flight schedule, but the plan was to serve Boa Vista International Airport (BVB), Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), Georgetown Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO) and St. Lucia Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) from Paramaribo Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (PBM). It had previously planned to operate scheduled flights to several Eastern Caribbean islands from its Caribbean hub at Saint Lucia but never received the necessary approvals. [6]

History

The company was founded on April 13, 2004, as Kuyake Aviation (Surinamese for toucan). At first the company's mission was to provide flight training towards a private or commercial pilot’s license. Kuyake Aviation started with a Cessna 337G Super Skymaster and a Cessna 172R Skyhawk. Later in 2005, a Cessna 206H Stationair was added. In August 2006, a Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain with a panther conversion was bought, followed by another Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain. [7]

In 2009, the main focus shifted from flight training to commercial services. With this change of mission the decision was also made to split the company to Caribbean Commuter Airways N.V. (abbreviated as Caricom Airways N.V.) and Kuyake Aviation Academy. [8]

Caricom Airways had a fleet expansion in 2010 when two Britten-Norman BN-2A Islanders arrived for passenger charters. [9]

Kuyake Aviation was also based at the Zorg en Hoop Airport in Paramaribo, Suriname, and was a modern school facility operating a fleet of Cessna aircraft and simulators.

Caribbean Commuter Airways was divided into Caricom Airways Barbados as a regional charter airline and Caricom Airways Suriname, both using the Caribbean Commuter Airways logo, and operating as a domestic charter airline within Suriname and the Caribbean region, together with running the Caricom Airways Flight Academy effectively with Kuyake Aviation Flight Academy. [10]

In 2011, a cooperation was reached with EZ AIR from Bonaire that allowed Caricom to regularly fly between Bonaire, Curaçao and Aruba and later to Saba and Sint Maarten using two Islanders, eventually taking over one Islander aircraft from Caricom Airways. [11] In 2018, the owners of Caricom Airways moved to Curaçao to open up a new airline and flight school named Dutch Caribbean Islandhopper. [12]

Former fleet

Caricom Airways had a fleet of different types of aircraft.

Caricom Airways Fleet
AircraftTotalPassengers
(Economy)		Notes
Britten Norman BN2 Islander 29 Surinam Airways Commuter (SLM)
Cessna 206H Stationair 6 15Caricom Airways
Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain 29 Kuyake Aviation / Caricom Airways
Cessna 337G Skymaster 15 Kuyake Aviation / Caricom Airways
Cessna 172 Skyhawk 13Kuyake Aviation Academy / Caricom Airways Flight Academy
Total7

Former destinations

Caricom Airways flew charters to 67 destinations, including 62 within the CARICOM and 5 abroad:

Outside the CARICOM:

References

  1. ↑ ICAO Document 8585 Edition 139
  2. ↑ "CARICOM Airways grounded inside OECS". Jamaica Gleaner. 31 Dec 2010. Retrieved 18 Aug 2023.
  3. ↑ "CARICOM chair: Six airlines interested in replacing LIAT". The Daily Herald. 7 Jul 2020. Retrieved 18 Aug 2023.
  4. ↑ "Surinam Airways to reintroduce domestic service". Caribbean News Now. 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  5. ↑ "Caricom Airways partners with SLM - DWTonline.com". www.dwtonline.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "LIAT Chairman wants Caricom meeting as international carriers cut flights". Stabroek News. 31 Dec 2012. Retrieved 18 Aug 2023.
  7. ↑ "Database".
  8. ↑ "Barbados announces Tax Ease on travel within CARICOM for six months". St Vincent Times. 15 Mar 2023. Retrieved 18 Aug 2023.
  9. ↑ "Nieuwe start binnenlandse vluchten SLM". starnieuws.com. 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  10. ↑ "Kuyake Aviation Academy - Our academy". Kuyake-aviation.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-26. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  11. ↑ "EZ Air breidt uit". luchtvaartnieuws.nl. 2011. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  12. ↑ "LIAT, Surinam Airways Could Fly to Haiti". Caribbean Journal. 14 Feb 2012. Retrieved 18 Aug 2023.
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