CAL Puts Good Numbers on the Board

CAL Puts Good Numbers on the Board

State carrier Caribbean Airlines has recorded one of its busiest periods for the just concluded Carnival season. From February 27 until March 13, the airline transported more than 85,000 passengers.

“During this period, if we take into account both our international and domestic traffic, the airline transported 85,808 customers with the total number for international traffic standing at 60,129 passengers. The domestic operation transported just under half that number at 25, 679 customers,” the airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Laura Asbjornsen, said in a press release yesterday.

When compared to the same Carnival period in 2010, the 2011 numbers represent an 18 per cent increase in the number of passengers on the airline’s international routes, she said. Traffic between Trinidad and Tobago saw about 1,000 more passengers transported compared to 2010.

“In 2010, Caribbean Airlines transported 24,768 passengers to Tobago, with this increasing to 25,679 passengers on the domestic route for 2011,” said Asbjornsen, who noted that this capacity was set to increase further as the airline maxes out its operations upon receipt of its new ATR aircraft.

Caribbean Airlines received two ATR 500 aircraft which commenced service on March 4. The aircraft are being wet-leased in the interim until the airline begins receiving its new ATR 600 aircraft, which are scheduled to begin arrival in October 2011.

On March 11, St Lucian Minister of Tourism, Senator Allen Chastanet, indicated interest from the government of St Lucia in designating Caribbean Airlines as St Lucia’s national carrier, the Caribbean Airlines statement added.