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Air Jamaica
IATA
JM		 ICAO
AJM		 Callsign
JAMAICA
Founded October 19681
Commenced operations 1969-04-011
Hubs Sangster International Airport
Norman Manley International Airport
Frequent flyer program 7th Heaven
Fleet size 14 (+2 orders)
Destinations 20
Parent company Ministry of Finance and the Public Service
Headquarters Kingston, Jamaica
Key people Shirley Williams (Chairman Of The Board)
Bruce Nobles (President and CEO)
Website: http://www.airjamaica.com

Air Jamaica, Ltd is Jamaica's national airline and the largest Caribbean based airline. Headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, it operates scheduled services from Kingston and Montego Bay to 20 destinations in the Caribbean, Canada, the United States. Its main base is Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston with a hub at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay 2. The airline has had no fatal incidents.

Contents

History

Air Jamaica was established in October 1968 and started operations on 1 April 1969, connecting Kingston and Montego Bay, with New York and Miami2. At that time the Jamaican government owned a substantial part of the airline, with Air Canada owning a minor share and providing technical, maintenance and logistical help.

During the 1970s, Air Jamaica expanded rapidly. Flights were added to Toronto and Montreal in Canada, to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico, to Philadelphia and many other destinations, especially across the Caribbean. Long-haul services to Europe were started on 1 April 1974. Air Jamaica used Douglas DC-8s for a large part of the 1970s, but the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727 jets became a part of the fleet towards the end of the decade when the government bought over Air Canada's small share. During the 1980s, growth slowed. Nevertheless, new routes were still opened, to Baltimore and Atlanta.

Airbus A340 landing at London Heathrow Airport, England

During the 1990s Air Jamaica continued to expand: the airline took over the Kingston-Nassau, Bahamas route, which had been left by British Airways, began a code sharing agreement with Delta Air Lines and opened routes to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix (which was later dropped), and to Frankfurt, London, Manchester, Santo Domingo and Ft. Lauderdale. The route to Phoenix was opened because Air Jamaica was looking for expansion in the American West, beyond its route to Los Angeles. In 1994 the company was partially privatized, with the government retaining 25% of the company and giving 5% of it to the airline's employees. It began buying Airbus equipment, including the Airbus A340, and began a feeder service, a frequent flyer program (7th Heaven), and an inflight magazine, named SkyWritings. Air Jamaica has opened a large operations base in Saint Lucia.citation needed

In December 2004, after financial losses, the Government of Jamaica took back full ownership of Air Jamaica. It employs 2,522 staff (at March 2007)2.

In September 2007, the new Jamaican government began to consider privatisation of Air Jamaica [1]. Investors with interest in the airline are speculated to be China National Aviation Holding Company (parent company of Air China), Lan Airlines, Virgin Group, Iberia Airlines and the The Emirates Group. A private Spanish, British and American consortium is in talks with the Government of Jamaica to bid for the national carrier as well.3 Air Jamaica's complete privitisation and divestment will be completed by March 2009 [2].

Destinations

citation needed

Airbus A340 landing at London Heathrow Airport, England.

Caribbean

North America

South America

Codeshare

Air Jamaica have codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Fleet

The Air Jamaica fleet consists of the following aircraft (as at November 2008)

Air Jamaica Fleet
Aircraft In Service On Order Notes
Airbus A319-100 1 2
Airbus A320-200 7 0 With an average fleet age of 8.6 years.
Airbus A321-200 6 0 With an average fleet age of 5.3 years.
Total 14 2

Previously operated

Air Jamaica has operated the Airbus A300, Airbus A310, Airbus A340, Boeing 727-200, Boeing 747-200, Douglas DC-8, McDonnell Douglas DC-9, and McDonnell Douglas MD-83.4

Air Jamaica cargo

Air Jamaica Cargo's Head Office is at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. Air Jamaica Cargo has 70% of the airfreight market between Jamaica and the rest of the world.

References

  1. ^ a b Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9, http://www.airwaysnews.com. 
  2. ^ a b c Flight International 27 March 2007
  3. ^ Air J/Virgin deal a priority for new transport minister
  4. ^ PlaneSpotters.net

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