Caribbean Airlines (BW, Port of Spain) is planning to launch island hopper Caribbean routes from Trinidad and Tobago to the US beginning in August 2020.
The Trinidadian carrier said in its application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for the reinstatement and expansion of its lapsed exemption authority that it plans to launch three new multi-stop routes from Port of Spain to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marin as follows:
- Port of Spain-Dominica Melville Hall-Bridgetown-St. Maarten-Tortola-San Juan (2x weekly starting on August 1);
- Port of Spain-Dominica-Bridgetown-Antigua-Beef Island-San Juan (2x weekly beginning on August 3);
- Port of Spain-Dominica-Bridgetown-Basseterre-Beef Island-San Juan (3x weekly starting on August 4).
All three routes will be operated with ATR72-600s. In its application, Caribbean Airlines underlined that its request was "limited in scope because CAL only seeks authorization to commence operations on limited routes covered in CAL's current authority under this docket with only two additional stopping points".
The two new points, not covered by the airline's existing authority, are Dominica and Beef Island in the British Virgin Islands.
The carrier simultaneously requested the DOT to renew its exemption authority which lapsed on December 21, 2019, due to "administrative oversight".
According to the ch-aviation capacities module, Caribbean Airlines' existing network in the US includes services to New York JFK from Port of Spain, Georgetown Cheddi Jagan, Kingston Norman Manley, Montego Bay, St. Vincent Argyle International, and Tobago; to Fort Lauderdale International from Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port of Spain; to Miami International from Port of Spain; and to Orlando International from Port of Spain and Kingston. Most of these routes are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline does not presently serve Puerto Rico.
