Air Jamaica 163238 225291161 2008-07-12T22:34:59Z 12.197.60.245 {{Infobox_Airline | airline=Air Jamaica| logo=Air Jamaica Logo.svg| logo_size=255| fleet_size=16 (+4 orders)| destinations=26| IATA=JM| ICAO=AJM| callsign=JAMAICA| parent='''Ministry of Finance and the Public Service'''| founded=October 1968<ref name="NAAH">{{cite book|last=Norwood|first=Tom|coauthors=Wegg, John|title=North American Airlines Handbook|publisher=Airways International|location=Sandpoint, ID|date=2002|edition=3rd|isbn=0-9653993-8-9|url=http://www.airwaysnews.com}}</ref>| commenced=[[1969-04-01]]<ref name="NAAH"/>| headquarters=[[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]], [[Jamaica]]| key_people=Shirley Williams (Chairman Of The Board)<br> William B. Rodgers (Acting President and CEO)| hubs=[[Sangster International Airport]]<br>[[Norman Manley International Airport]]<br>| |focus_cities = [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]]<br>[[Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport]]<br>[[Miami International Airport]] |frequent_flyer=7th Heaven| lounge=| alliance=| website= http://www.airjamaica.com | }} '''Air Jamaica, Ltd''', [[colloquial]]ly known as '''Air J''', 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 26 destinations in the [[Caribbean]], [[Canada]], the [[United States|USA]]. Its main base is [[Norman Manley International Airport]], Kingston with a hub at [[Sangster International Airport]], Montego Bay <ref name="FI">[[Flight International]] 27 March 2007</ref>. The airline has had no fatal incidents. == History == Air Jamaica was established in October 1968 and started operations on [[1 April]] [[1969]], connecting [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] and [[Montego Bay]], with [[New York City|New York]] and [[Miami, Florida|Miami]]<ref name="FI"/>. 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, Pennsylvania|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-8]]s 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, Maryland|Baltimore]] and [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]]. [[Image:airjam.a340-313.6y-jmm.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|[[Airbus A340]] landing at [[London Heathrow Airport]], [[England]]. Replaced by [[Boeing 757]] and [[Boeing 767]] early 2008]] 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, Arizona|Phoenix]] (which was later dropped), and to [[Frankfurt]], [[London]], [[Manchester]], [[Santo Domingo]] and [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Ft. Lauderdale]]. The route to Phoenix was opened because Air Jamaica was looking for expansion in the [[United States|American]] West, beyond its route to [[Los Angeles, California|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''. The airline also underwent rebranding during that decade. Air Jamaica has opened a large operations base in [[Saint Lucia]]. {{Fact|date=April 2007}} In December 2004, after massive financial losses, the Government of Jamaica took back full ownership of Air Jamaica. It employs 2,522 staff (at March 2007)<ref name="FI"/>. In September 2007, the new [[Government of Jamaica|Jamaican government]] began to consider privatisation of Air Jamaica. Investors with interest in the airline are speculated to be''' China National Aviation Holding Company (parent company of [[Air China]]),''' [[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. <ref name="Virgindeal">[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20070915t010000-0500_127401_obs_air_j_virgin_deal_a_priority_for_new_transport_minister.asp Air J/Virgin deal a priority for new transport minister]</ref> Air Jamaica has reported that it will be replacing its Airbus A340-300 equipment with a leased Boeing 757-200 in the third quarter of 2008. Air Jamaica's pilot union has objected to this decision. Air Jamaica will also wet lease a Boeing 767-300ER and 2 ATR 72-500 variant turboprop aircraft, delivery is expected for July 2008. '''Air Jamaica's new potential buyer is presently evaluating fuel efficient aircrafts for the future, to offset the rising jet fuel costs.''' ==Destinations== {{Fact|date=April 2008}} [[Image:air.jamaica.a340.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|An Air Jamaica [[Airbus A340]] landing at [[London Heathrow Airport]], [[England]].]] Air Jamaica operates flights to the Caribbean and USA with some flights to Toronto, Canada. {{main|Air Jamaica destinations}} ==Code Share== Air Jamaica have code share agreements with the following airlines: *[[Air Canada]] *[[Cubana]] *[[Delta Airlines]] *[[LIAT]] *[[Saudi Arabian Airlines]] *[[Virgin Atlantic Airways]] == Fleet == The Air Jamaica fleet consists of the following aircraft (as at May 2008) {| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse;text-align: center;" |+ Air Jamaica Fleet''' |-bgcolor=lightblue |'''Aircraft''' |'''In Service''' |'''On Order''' |'''Notes''' |- | [[Airbus A319|Airbus A319-100]] | 0 | 1 | Entry into service Mid July 2008, all economy 125 class seat configuration. |- | [[Airbus A320|Airbus A320-200]] | 8 | 0 | with an average fleet age of 8.6 years |- | [[Airbus A321|Airbus A321-200]] | 6 | 0 | with an average fleet age of 5.3 years |- | [[Airbus A340|Airbus A340-31X]] | 1 | | To reenter service by Sept/Oct 2008, negotiations in progress with ILFC. |- |[[ATR 72-500]] | 0 | 2 | Order has been postponed "Indefinetly" |- | [[Boeing 757|Boeing 757-200]] | 1 | 0 | Operated by [[North American Airlines]]" |- | [[Boeing 767|Boeing 767-300]] | 0 | 1 | Entry into service Late July 2008, to be operated by [[North American Airlines]] |- |'''Total''' |'''16'''<!--Check this matches infobox Fleet total--> |'''4''' | |} ===Previously operated=== Air Jamaica has operated the [[Airbus A300]], [[Airbus A340-300]], [[Airbus A310]], [[Boeing 727-200]],[[Douglas DC-8]], [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]], and [[McDonnell Douglas MD-83]].<ref>[http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Air-Jamaica PlaneSpotters.net]</ref> == Air Jamaica cargo== [[Image:Air Jamaica Cargo.jpg|right]]Air Jamaica Cargo's Head Office is at the [[Norman Manley International Airport]] in [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]], [[Jamaica]]. Air Jamaica Cargo has 70% of the airfreight market between Jamaica and the rest of the world. == References == {{reflist|2}} == External links == *[http://www.airjamaica.com/ Air Jamaica official website] *[http://www.my-island-jamaica.com/facts_about_jamaica.html Intriguing facts about Jamaica] {{IATA members|latinam}} [[Category:Airlines of Jamaica]] [[Category:IATA members]] [[Category:Latin American Air Transport Association]] [[Category:Airlines established in 1968]] [[Category:Government-owned airlines]] [[de:Air Jamaica]] [[fr:Air Jamaica]] [[id:Air Jamaica]] [[nl:Air Jamaica]] [[pl:Air Jamaica]] [[pt:Air Jamaica]] [[simple:Air Jamaica]]