BlueSky Airlines (Cayman Islands) (Grand Cayman Island) is in the market for a new Dash 8-400 lessor following the collapse of EuroLOT (Warsaw Chopin). The Caymanian start-up was to have wet-leased two Q400s from the defunct Polish operator for the period October 2014 to November 2015 with options to extend the contract if need be. EuroLOT was also to have assisted the carrier in securing its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the Cayman Islands Civil Aviation Authority (CAACI) and the Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) prior to its launch in June this year.

“BlueSky’s focus is now on intensifying its search for alternative aircraft. Last week the carrier accelerated negotiations with potential lessors for new Bombardier Aerospace (BBA, Montréal Trudeau) Q400s becoming available over the next few months,” BlueSky said in a statement.

Under its original launch plan, the start-up planned to offer ad-hoc private business jet charters using either a Learjet 55 or a Cessna 560 before expanding into the scheduled services market. Overall, BlueSky intends to develop its Grand Cayman Island base into a regional Caribbean and South American hub with flights to Panamá City Tocumen International, Bogotá, Cancún and San Juan Luis Muñoz Marin.