Buchanan

Cabinet on Monday approved the latest Air Jamaica business plan to move the national airline toward viability.

Chief Executive Officer of Air Jamaica, Michael Conway, and Chairman of the Board, O.K. Melhado ,presented the improved plan to Cabinet.

Information Minister Donald Buchanan said the five-point strategy contained in the plan is intended to increase the efficiency of the airline.

The new strategies are aimed at achieving increased reliability, route rationalisation, consolidate the administration of the airline, in Kingston, outsource Air Jamaica Vacations and the conversion of the current Airbuses to Boeing.

Mr. Buchanan said the airline needed some US$60 million to finance its capital requirements.

"Going forward over a two-year period the proposal is that the airline would require another US$65 million to take it to the year 2008," he explained.

Mr. Buchanan, who was addressing journalists at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, at Jamaica House, said several recommendations from the parliamentary committee examining the operations of Air Jamaica were also included in the business plan.