Tag Archives: Jamaica

Frontier to honor Jamaica with new ‘Doctor Bird’ tail

Frontier Airlines has revealed that the national bird of Jamaica, the doctor bird or red-billed streamertail, will be the newest animal to adorn one of the airline’s plane tails.

Featuring the Jamaican doctor bird serves to honor Jamaica and celebrate the airline’s growing partnership with the island country. Frontier currently operates flights from nine U.S. destinations to Jamaica with two more scheduled to begin in 2023.

The red-billed streamertail, also known as the Jamaican doctor bird, is a species of hummingbird. It is endemic to Jamaica and is the country’s national bird. The doctor bird features stunning, iridescent colors and is treasured by Jamaicans, often immortalized in Jamaican folklore and song.

All Frontier Airlines aircraft feature an animal on their tail with a special name and backstory. The plane tail animals, which are adored by children and adults, alike, are meant to highlight animal species throughout North America, many of which are threatened or endangered.

The red-billed streamertail will be named Stewart, a nod to the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart (below, right), the legendary founder of Sandals Resorts International and prolific advocate for Jamaica tourism. The new aircraft is expected to join the Frontier fleet in late 2023.

Dive Deeper into Butch Stewart:

https://www.sandals.com/blog/the-legend-his-legacy-and-the-one-love-that-drove-him/

The new tail comes on the heels of expanded service from Frontier Airlines to Jamaica. Currently, the airline operates flights to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay from Atlanta, Orlando, Chicago-Midway, Miami, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Tampa. Service from Denver to Montego Bay will begin in February 2023 and from Dallas/Fort Worth to Montego Bay next spring. Frontier began service from Atlanta to Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston earlier this week and also flies to Kingston from Miami. Frontier has been the fastest growing airline serving Jamaica since 2019, based on number of seats.

Frontier Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Frontier Airlines begins nonstop service between Miami and Kingston

Frontier Airlines on May began service between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica (KIN).

It marks the first time America’s Greenest Airline has offered service to the Jamaican capital. Flights will operate three times weekly year-round.

New Route from Miami International Airport (MIA)

SERVICE TO:

SERVICE START:

SERVICE FREQUENCY:

Kingston, Jamaica (KIN)

May 5, 2022

3x Weekly

Frequency and times are subject to change.

Frontier Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Delta to start winter seasonal service to both Montego Bay and Nassau from Minneapolis/St. Paul

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will start weekly seasonal service from the airline’s hub in Minneapolis/St. Paul to Montego Bay, Jamaica on starting on January 18, 2015 and Nassau in the Bahamas, starting 0n January 17, 2015. Flights will be operated on Airbus A320 aircraft with 150 seats, including 12 seats in Business Class, 18 Economy Comfort seats and 120 economy seats.

Delta Air Lines (current):

Southwest Airlines to operate seasonal Caribbean service from Milwaukee to both Montego Bay and Punta Cana

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) will add seasonal and weekly (saturdays) service from Milwaukee to both Montego Bay, Jamaica and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from January 24 through April 4, 2015 per Airline Route.

Meanwhile the company is trying to lower its rising costs with new efforts to remain competitive with its union contracts. Bloomberg Businessweek looks at this critical effort. Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. “Heart Two” in the form of Boeing 737-8H4 N8645A (msn 36907) painted in the dazzling 2014 livery arrives at the Baltimore/Washington (BWI) hub.

Southwest Airlines:

Video: Repainting the fleet:

Global Air Jets starts weekly charter flights from West Palm Beach to Montego Bay, Jamaica

Global Air Jets (West Palm Beach) started weekly charter flights on Sundays from West Palm Beach to Montego Bay, Jamaica on April 20 using the AOC of Swift Air (2nd) (Phoenix). The public charter company is also planning charter flights to Kingston, Jamaica starting in June on Tuesdays.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-4B7 N802TJ (msn 24874) of Swift Air is pictured on the ramp at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Swift Air:

Is the Air Jamaica brand facing the final extinction?

Caribbean Airlines (Port of Spain), as we first reported in July of 2012, was modifying its aircraft that were painted in the Air Jamaica (Kingston) brand. The Trinidad and Tobago Civil Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) in 2012 mandated Caribbean Airlines must drop the Air Jamaica brand because of the conditions of their Air Operators Certificate (AOC) that it operate under one name. The first casualty was the pictured Boeing 737-8Q8 9Y-JMA (msn 30645) “Spirit of Kingston” which was sporting Caribbean Airlines titles on the Air Jamaica 2011 livery in 2012. The airliner previously had full Air Jamaica titles and color scheme.

This thorny issue, one of national pride in Jamaica, has moved slowly since the issue first emerged in 2012. Now Caribbean Airlines has repainted 9Y-JMA (above) with full Caribbean Airlines titles (minus the tail logo) eliminating the Air Jamaica colors. The aircraft re-entered revenue service on the February 23, 2014. This new change may be a new signal that Caribbean has decided to move ahead with the mandated one brand ruling eliminating the iconic Air Jamaica brand and name.

Caribbean Airlines had previously adopted a “two brands, one airline” marketing strategy to mainly keep alive the Air Jamaica brand, especially for the Jamaican market. Because the aircraft were intermingled between markets, this often led to a diverse identity in the two main markets.

A report by The Gleaner of June 19, 2013 reported the government of Jamaica (which retains a 16 percent share) was concerned about the reduction of flights by Caribbean Airlines to the island nation. Caribbean Airlines reduced the number of flights to Jamaica on April 16, 2013. The new CAL board was given a month to come back with a new development plan for Air Jamaica. Previously the Jamaican government has threatened to withdraw the Air Jamaica brand from the combined airline per Caribbean 360.

Read the full report The Gleamer: CLICK HERE

Read the full report from Caribbean 360: CLICK HERE

Finally, if this drama was not enough, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday reported Caribbean Airlines and Bahamasair (Nassau) in January 2014 were holding discussions on possible closer ties. Will this lead to a three-brand airline? Not likely.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

In addition, Americans were warned not to fly Caribbean Airlines to and from Guyana because of possible threats against the carrier.

In conclusion, Caribbean Airlines needs to make a final decision of this difficult national pride issue and move ahead towards profitability once again.

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Nigel Steele/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8Q8 9Y-JMA (msn 30645) arrives back at the Port of Spain base with the new (almost full) identity.

Caribbean Airlines:

Air Jamaica:

Current Route Map:

Frontier starts weekly seasonal Denver-Montego Bay flights tomorrow

Frontier Airlines’ (2nd) (Denver) new nonstop seasonal service between its Denver, Colorado (DEN) hub and Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ), begins on Sunday, December 22, 2013. The new weekly flights are Denver’s only winter nonstop to the Caribbean.

With the new service, Jamaica is added to Frontier’s growing list of nonstop international destinations from Denver. Frontier also provides nonstop service from Denver to five destinations in Mexico, as well as both San Jose and Liberia, Costa Rica.

Following is the schedule for Frontier’s Montego Bay service:

Denver-Montego Bay (beginning December 22, 2013)