Air J salutes Premier Travel WESTERN BUREAU SINCE ITS early beginnings in April of 1969, Air Jamaica has continually distinguished itself as an airline par excellence, boasting a history steeped in unparalleled service, an unblemished safety record and enormous potential for further growth and development. By November of 1994, Air Jamaica ascended to new heights, as the Government of Jamaica embarked on a privatization exercise, which successfully ceded the airline's majority shares to the Gordon ' Butch'Stewart-led Air Jamaica Acquisition Group. With new ownership came renewed focus, and the airline was poised for take off in the direction of new growth. The injection of capital, dynamic leadership and an irrepressible spirit led the way forward to new routes and the rationalized phase-out of its inherited fleet of B727's and A300 aircraft. Since 1995 Air Jamaica has consistently modified its fleet and the airline now has one of the newest Airbus fleet of aircraft in the Caribbean and Latin America. The airline now boasts 1 A340; 4 A310's; 2 A321's; 8 A320's; 2 MD83's. The total number of aircraft in the fleet is currently 17, soon to be 18 by mid 2001, with projections for 22 by the year 2003. The fleet will become a full Airbus fleet in 2002, when the company acquires 2 A320's to replace the MD83's in its fleet. Air Jamaica has since received numerous awards for outstanding performance. Among them are the coveted "Best Airline to the Caribbean", awarded four years in succession; Modern Bride's "Best Honeymoon Airline" three years in a row; Five Star Award; and "Prettiest Planes in the Skies" by an Internet poll, among others. Additionally, "our market share has increased considerably," CEO Chris Zacca stated. High quality
of service "In 1998, we carried about seven per cent more passengers than the year before. The total number of passengers we carried last year was approximately 1.7 million and that is a substantial amount," the airlines CEO further said. Air Jamaica has further enhanced its contribution to the country's economy with the creation of The Montego Bay Hub in 1997. The Hub serves as Jamaica's link to the rest of the world: allowing easy access to the Caribbean islands which were previously limited to few airline options within the region. The Hub is accessible from all of Air Jamaica's North American gateways and serves the European market, via the London to Jamaica route. Air Jamaica services 22 routes with the 23rd to be inaugurated on June 7, 2001. Houston will be the second new destination to be opened in the year 2001. The first was Boston on February 15, 2001. Other destinations include Baltimore, Barbados, Bonaire, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Kingston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Montego Bay, Nassau, Newark, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, and St. Lucia. Through its 1997 signed code-share agreement with Delta Airlines, both carriers have forged a strategic alliance that guarantees access to destinations beyond each airline's own gateways, taking Jamaica to the rest of the world, and the world to Jamaica. Built on 30 years of solid experience, Air Jamaica has proudly maintained its role of being the national carrier for Jamaica taking the 7th Heaven image and service to new dimensions. "Our in flight services are top of the line and once people recognize the high quality of service they are getting they will continue to do business with us," the airline's top executive Chris Zacca said confidently, "Air Jamaica is poised for continued growth into the new millennium and beyond." Air Jamaica salutes Premier Travel for its ongoing support to Air Jamaica over the years, and congratulates the management and staff for their excellent performance over the years.
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