Air Jamaica Capacity Reduced for North America Routes

Caribbean Airlines cut its schedule of roundtrip flights between Jamaica and North America operated under the Air Jamaica brand, effective April 16. All gateways continue to be served (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, New York and Toronto) with a reduced number of flights.

The carrier said the move was part of an initiative aimed at making its operation more efficient “by evaluating load factors and consolidating loads into fewer flights to serve the same number of passengers.”

Flights from Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando to Kingston and Montego Bay were reduced from three per day to once daily. New York Kennedy and Toronto service is now twice daily.

“The reductions are for the current period and will be evaluated moving ahead. Seasonal demands will get specific consideration and flights will be allocated where booking trends suggest they can be profitable,” said an airline spokesman.

Caribbean Airlines acquired Air Jamaica’s fleet and route rights in 2010 and completed the merger in May 2011, with the Jamaican government owning a 16% stake in Caribbean Airlines and a seat on the board.

A number of the aircraft have dual branding, one of the conditions of the merger. Caribbean Airlines reported an $83.7 million loss in 2012, up from $43.6 million in 2011, according to its financial statements.

Source: Travel Weekly