Air Jamaica maintains U.S. cargo service

Air Jamaica said it will exit passenger services to Atlanta, Los Angeles, Grand Cayman, and Miami, effective Feb. 26, and will discontinue service between Jamaica and Barbados and Jamaica and Grenada.

   This will result in the closure of the affected stations and reductions in the work force, accordingly.

   With these changes the airline's fleet will be reduced to nine aircraft, the appropriate number required to efficiently operate the new schedule. The airline will restructure existing leases and negotiate aircraft returns to accomplish this result.

   Air Jamaica said the route changes would not impact its cargo service to Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

   Even though our passenger service to these cities will be discontinued in February, we will definitely continue to deliver what is a very convenient cargo service, said Bruce R. Nobles, Air Jamaica's president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

   Air Jamaica uses a road feeder network to move cargo from across the United States to its gateways in South Florida and northeastern seaboard.

   The carrier will continue to operate its Boeing 767 freighter three times a week -- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays -- between Miami and Kingston, and between Miami and Montego Bay on Thursdays and Sundays. Air Jamaica estimates that it provides a weekly cargo capacity of 270,000 pounds between Miami and Jamaica.

   Shippers range from large commercial operations that import and export processed food and agricultural products to individuals importing household appliances.

   We are not making any changes and our cargo customers can continue to depend on us, Noble said.

   The carrier will also continue to provide cargo service to the Eastern Caribbean.

   With the implementation of its new business plan, Air Jamaica said it expects to improve productivity and unit costs. The airline's new schedule includes 218 weekly flights to 14 destinations, with service between Jamaica and Toronto; New York (JFK); Chicago (O'Hare); Baltimore; Philadelphia; Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Curacao; Nassau; and Havana, as well as service between New York and Barbados and New York and Grenada.

Source: American Shipper