New L-1011 Operation in the Caribbean???

[SunSeaSandfly]

Rumours beginning to circulate about a new L-10 operator in the Caribbean. Anybody got the lowdown?
As far as I know BWee is the last of the Caribbean L-10 operators, and they are trying to get out of L-10s into something else at this time. :confused:

[Jed A1]

Bwee, supposed to have A340's by the end of the year.

[LAVDUMPER]

Perhaps the Guv could enlighten us?

Any Tristar rumours related to the Caribbean Guv? Are you involved?

[Ibis]

Hello SUNSEASANDFLY,

no mention of a L1011, but you never know -

(From The Stabroek News, 05 September, 2001)

(Guyana) Universal Airlines, cargo charter granted licences.

Licences have been granted to Universal Airlines to operate a scheduled charter service to North America and Suriname from Guyana and to International Cargo Charter to operate a cargo service between Guyana, New York and Toronto.

Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon announced the approval of the licences, when he briefed the media following yesterday's Cabinet meeting.

The main investors in Universal Air, according to Dr Luncheon, were New York-based Guyanese. But he had no more details about their names except to say that they were the Singhs. Stabroek News understands they operate a chain of franchised seafood restaurants.

The newly-licensed airline will operate daily flights between Guyana and New York via Port-of-Spain and Guyana and Toronto via Port-of-Spain and Miami.

Dr Luncheon said that as a charter service, Universal Air was required to lodge a bond which would be used to the benefit of ticketed passengers if the airline failed to meet its obligation to take them to and from their destinations.

He undertook to ascertain from Works Minister, Anthony Xavier, whether the bonds lodged by charter services could be used to repay non-travel obligations ahead of refunds to passengers. Dr Luncheon's undertaking was in response to assertions that in the past passenger claims were superseded by other obligations the airlines had failed to meet.

International Cargo Charters will be operating its service in competition with Laparkan and Amerijet which offer services to North America. Dr Luncheon did not say who its principals were.

Meanwhile, Dr Luncheon said that the response to the government's invitation for expressions of interest in rights to 14 routes between Guyana to North America, the Caribbean and Suriname had not been brought to the attention of Cabinet.

And in a related development, Eldorado Air expects to obtain a operating licence within another two weeks, according to sources close to the airline. Eldorado Air was originally registered as Air Guyana but changed its name after it was discovered that a local air charter service had already registered under that trade name.

regards,

Ibis

[The Guvnor]

LAVDUMPER - nothing to do with me! There were rumours of an L1011 operation starting between the UK and Caribbean - but the CAA and DTLR say they have heard nothing...

[Ibis]

SunSeaSandlfy,
I also hear, Tobago Express wetlease one of BeeWee's 1011 to operate TAB-Man :D
Do you know more about it?

[raitfaiter]

Weren't there rumours of an L1011 operation starting from PIK some time ago??? Perhaps The Goober would like to comment on that.... :D :p :D

[FE Hoppy]

Just read tha add for crews on the net. Subscription page so you will all have to pay to read it. -50 and -100 miami base november start. Must be current.
AEPS
CV is in the post.
(my new hobby is to send a cv to everyone who can spell L1011, there are never any jobs but it passes the time.)

[chrisjk]

We scribblers sometimes have our uses... I have written several pieces for our excellent online news service over the last year about a proposed new Caribbean carrier called Tropical International Airways, to be based operationally at St Kitts but commercially headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. It expects to wet-lease a bunch of L.1011s and some 727-200s from American Trans Air for a hub operation linking St Kitts with destinations throughout the Caribbean and cities in the USA. It already has US DOT approval to fly from St Kitts to New York JFK, Chicago Midway (yes, Midway - think of ATA's biggest hub), Washington Dulles and Fort Lauderdale.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

They also looked at the DC10 as well as they approached some European carriers about it as well.
Presume as the Guv's not involved it will be a success..... :mad:

[The Guvnor]

Actual;ly, it's highly unlikely - hopefully - that it's Tropical International. I still have a signed lease from them for an L1011-500 which they did not fulfil... they never provided the deposits, letter of credit/bank guarantee etc that was required. At the time I had an aircraft on line and ready to go from BWIA - luckily we were able to disengage without financial penalty.

Subsequently, they entered into another contract with Omni Air International for a DC10 - and lo and behold, the same thing happened! :rolleyes:

Their UK sales director has been prosecuted by the CAA for trading without an ATOL; and I understand that Caledonian were taken for quite a substantial sum related to charter flights that they performed and were not paid for.

I also was provided with a copy of their 'business plan' - a whole seven or eight pages of the biggest load of tripe I've ever seen in my life!! :eek: :rolleyes: :eek:

[SunSeaSandfly]

There was talk of Tobago Express looking at TAB MAN with L-10s but their agreement with parent BWIA restricts international flights, so it's difficult to imagine they have a way around that.
The rumoured operation is Caribbean to Europe not USA though, so TIA etc are not likely candidates. Sorry 411A.
Fe Hoppy I will email you.