Air Jamaica to Call Off Service to Bonaire

Air Jamaica will suspend service to the Dutch Caribbean territory of Bonaire, the latest in a series of cost-cutting steps aimed at keeping the troubled national carrier afloat, a spokeswoman said Sunday.

Air Jamaica´s four flights per week to Bonaire will end in August, airline spokeswoman Sandra Falconer said.

The move comes as the state-run airline seeks to cut operating costs amid massive losses caused by higher fuel and security costs and a drop in passengers following the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

Air Jamaica also recently cut several routes including Manchester, England; St. John´s, Antigua; Houston, Texas and London to Havana as part of restructuring.

Earlier this month, the airline negotiated a 5.6 percent pay cut for its pilots, settling a heated contract dispute that had threatened the carrier´s financial recovery.

The government regained control of Air Jamaica in December and appointed a new board. It originally planned to sell the airline, but later said restructuring would keep it in government hands for several years.

Bonaire is the second-largest of five Caribbean islands that comprise the Netherlands Antilles. The island of 15,000 residents is known by some as "Divers Paradise" for its underwater resources, including coral reefs home to more than 1,000 different species of marine life.