Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Eli Zakour, says Caribbean Airlines will cut down on some of its unprofitable routes in a bid to save more than TT$120 million.
In a statement in the House of Representatives on Friday, he said a comprehensive review by Caribbean Airlines’ Route Oversight Committee has found that several routes introduced during the 2023 Eastern Caribbean expansion were launched without sufficient commercial justification and have since generated sustained financial losses.
Within the last year, the airline discontinued its Jamaica to Fort Lauderdale route, which generated US$7.2 million in losses, and its Trinidad to Puerto Rico route, which saw $4.92 million in losses.
The Minister said that, from June 1st, 2026, CAL will withdraw from several other markets in a bid to stop haemorrhaging money.
“Withdrawal from the Dominica market, which has incurred an overall loss of US$0.73 million as of April 2026. Withdrawal from the St. Kitts market, which has incurred an overall loss of US$1.65 million as of April 2026. Discontinuation of the non-stop Guyana to Suriname service, which has incurred an overall loss of US$1.24 million as of April 2026.”
The airline will also reduce the frequency of flights in other markets.
“Service frequencies to Martinique and Guadeloupe are to be reduced from four weekly flights to two. These routes generated losses of US$1.23 million for Martinique and US$1.86 million for Guadeloupe, respectively. The combined loss sustained on these routes as of April 2026 is US$18.84 million, or in excess of TT$128 million.”
He added that customers holding bookings on affected services beyond the discontinuation dates will be contacted directly by Caribbean Airlines or through travel agents.
“Affected passengers will be offered reaccommodation on alternative regional services where feasible via Caribbean Airlines and partner connections, offered a full refund of the unused portion of the ticket, or retention of the ticket value as a future travel credit subject to fair conditions.”
Minister Zakour said the losses will now be converted to operational savings and improve the airline’s financial stability.
Caribbean airlines come here! Simple TAB>POS>YYZ people will fly
There seems to be a big market available for transportation around the Caribbean islands for small airline operators. If the volume of passengers is not enough to sustain profitability, then the next best option would be a modern ferry system serving the main islands. I think this second option is worth looking into as a joint initiative among the Caribbean island governments as it will also tourism for all.
Governments know nothing about generating income, that's why politicians are favored and businesses people are never really liked. The tactics that generate income are not likable. Governments generally just get money by force, EG, taxation, and grants.
Jamaica, get Air Jamaica back
Jamaicans, buy back air Jamaica holdings….
Hand air Jamaica back to Jamaica
I don’t believe it that the route are not profitable.
I believe it’s poor management, if they not providing quality service on the route that you operating, they will not gain market share to improve profitability.
Caribbean Airlines is jointly owned by the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago holds the majority stake of 88.1%, while the Government of Jamaica holds a minority stake of 11.9%.
They would have to change their name because they are not flying to the Caribbean…..I wondee which routes are profitable
Dem Caribbean politicians always want discount. Then one for dem, dey children, dey moooma, dey granny, dey aunty outsideman…. Dey granny dog, twiice removed and so on…… Voila. No money
This airline has 3 years max left. They are losing money as if they didn’t learn a single lesson from Air Jamaica and BWIA. Still making the same mistakes. How can you add a new route and never checked its financial viability? ….3 years.
Why everything in USD??
What about lower prices. I would love to use CA between barbados and jfk but 90% of the time the fare is almost double what jetblue and American airlines charge. Im not going to pay almost twice fare just to use CA….
Caribbean airways sucks travelling between barbados and jfk means to have to spend the whole night sitting on a bench in Trinidad and paying almost twice as other airlines ……at lease do like copa airlines and give passengers the option to spending 5 to 7 days in Trinidad or Tobago…..who the hell wants to leave barbados at 9 pm and spend the whole night sitting on a bench …passengers intransit should be treated better …..I'm surprise CA still in business
Caribbean airline.need.a.join.venture.with.other.caribbean.airlines.😮
Caribbean Airlines treat Janaicans like seconds class citizens they give attitudes i flown with them from NYC to MBJ and i will never fly them again i have switch to JetBlue, they also provide Jamaica with with insufficient routes they don't even connect MBJ the nations busiest Airport. They have very little flight out of KIN. I would love Air Jamaica to come back and use Boeing MAX 7 Airbus A220 they could use A221 for caribbean to Caribbean and A223 to United States Canada the MAX 7 could cover every route its a little bigger then A223 with great fuel and range. FK Caribbean Airlines
This is what happens when you do not enforce good customer service and allow rude staff to remain in your business. This is what happens when the wrong people are in power. Running and airline and eventually monopolising the entire Caribbean is not that hard. Choose the right planes (737's were the wrong choice) as it limits optional route pairs that Caribbean Airlines could have opened in new markets. Think outside the box and innovate ffs you basic, simple people. These people do the bare minimum and wonder why they are failing…while having an ego that never matches their achievements.
We need a ferry please to go from one island to the next. All these losses.who's managing the Caribbean airlines.
Since 2020 there are now two new airlines serving Haiti. Maybe Caribbean Air should have added Haiti, if i could support my own community vs american corporations i would.
Caribbean Air Line is the most trusted.. & safest for me… 🙏🙏❤❤
Not sure how long this airline will survive . If they disappear we will all suffer the consequences. Sad .
sad
The tim8ng of this. The SDA has a youth camp in Dominica in july. Campers from North Carib, East Carib, Trinidad and Guyanan are all now scrambling to find out how to get to camp. I am Barbadian and I was booked on CAL. I dont know what to do now.
Caribbean airline is criminal they charge me $100 for a bad from fort Lauderdale fl to montegbay ja
Nice Lancair in the beginning
Pull! Back!
I never forgive TNT and Jamaica for killing Barbados Red Jet.
Left not forget the bogus arguments the previous Minister of Finance, Colin Imbert, gave for stealing lands in Tobago to build the airport : the projected 3 million tourists
Unsurprisingly, Imbert is now retired
PR was a promising route! Smfh 🤦🏾♂️
Agree with that move 👍👍👍💪
It is best y'all dismantle the airline completely.
Totally predictable…
I flew with Caribbean airlines last year to Dominica 🇩🇲 and t it was packed, makes no sense to me.
I need direct flights from TnT to Atlanta 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽❤
Some serious restructuring need for this airline. I first traveled on BWIA in 1965. I used them until about 20 years ago when they were partners with United then they changed names and I traveled a few times more. Now hell no. Their customer service Stinks and they double dip to get more money out of their passengers. I remember I traveled from San Francisco to Toronto and then Toronto to Barbados on Air Canada and while still in Transit I had to pay 100 dollars per suitcase to fly to Guyana. Plus many time I've called them and they put me on hold then hung up.
[Caribbean is carbbhind Airlin;e will never work] [TIME FOR FERRY]❤❤
And yet, they expect customers to believe that they can sustain a non-stop service between Toronto and Guyana, starting July 1st. Look man, CAL takes people for fools.