Cayman Islands
Cayman Airways expansion
GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman–National flag carrier Cayman Airways Ltd. could enter a new phase of expansion during 2014 that could include new routes to Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. The airline was established and started operations on August 7th, 1968. It was formed following the Cayman Government’s purchase of 51% of Cayman Brac Airways from LACSA (the now defunct Costa Rican flag carrier) and became wholly government owned in December 1977. A few months after it was formed, Cayman Airways flew its first international route to Kingston, Jamaica leasing a LACSA BAC-111-500. The airline acquired its first jet aircraft in 1978 and began services to Houston. In 1982 the airline acquired a Boeing 727-200 aircraft to strengthen the airline’s regional and international capability, also allowing for the introduction of first class service. These jets were eventually replaced with Boeing 737-300 series, and during the 1980s Cayman Airways offered scheduled or charter service to Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, & St. Louis. As the national flag carrier for the Cayman Islands, Cayman Airways now operates non-stop Boeing 737 jet service between Grand Cayman and the following major US cities: Miami and Tampa, Florida; Washington DC; New York, New York; and Chicago, Illinois. Nonstop jet service is also provided between Grand Cayman and regional destinations, including: Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; and La Ceiba, Honduras.The airline’s Cayman Airways Express service also operates Twin Otter aircrafts between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.
Air Panama into the Major Leagues
PANAMA CITY,Panama–After becoming the sole domestic airline, Air Panama is ready to expand its wings and move into the “Major Leagues” of the airline business. On August 2013 the airline received one Boeing 737-300 and another on October adding to the existing fleet of regional jets Fokker 100s and a Fokker 70. It is expected Air Panama to announce in the next months the new international routes but is rumored the 737s will be used for flights to San Jose, Costa Rica; several cities in Colombia, Miami and also the Cayman Islands. Flights to other Central American cities are a possibility. As of June 2013, the airline is awaiting the approval of both the Panamanian and Caymanian aeronautical authorities for these scheduled passenger flights. After the demise of Air Panama International in 1990, the name was unused until in 2006 when PARSA (the original name of Air Panama), adopted the iconic name. Air Panama operates from both Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport (Albrook) and Tocumen International Airport.
Latin American Airlines & Industry News 