Is established at Port-of-Spain on November 26, 1991 to provide scheduled passenger services between Trinidad and Tobago and to offer charters across the southern Caribbean region. Ownership is equally divided between Medishi Investments and Luxsam Holdings, but revenue operations do not immediately begin.
Captain Erik Mowser is appointed managing director and, early in 1993, he recruits a workforce of 120 and orders a fleet of 2 NAMC YS-11A-500s and 1 YS-11A-600 freighter, all of which are quickly modified at Hamilton Aircraft, Tucson, Arizona, and are delivered in July. Revenue operations commence on August 8 over an “air bridge” route from Trinidad to Tobago.
Fifteen new employees are hired in 1994 as a fourth Japanese-made turboprop is placed into service. Late in the year, a marketing agreement, effective the following spring, is signed with British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA).
In 1995-1996, Capt. Mowser remains as managing director, with Leslie “Lucky” Samaroo as executive chairman and CFO. Following the privatization of BWIA in February of the former year, its Vice President-Marketing/sales Nelson Tom Yew is recruited to Air Caribbean to serve as general manager.
The company continues its shuttle service, as well as ad hoc charters to Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, and St. Lucia. Two more YS-11A-500s join the fleet.
In March 1997, a homepage is opened on the World Wide Web.
Twice-daily roundtrip turboprop service is introduced during July from Barbados to Port of Spain and Georgetown.
On December 3, LIAT (1974), Ltd. takes over the twice-daily “air bridge” roundtrip service between Trinidad and Tobago previously operated by British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA). The move is contested in court by ACL, the designated “air bridge” carrier.
With the expansion of the company’s schedule in early 1998, orders are placed for three Boeing 737-200As. The first of these enters service on August 11, replacing the turboprop service from Barbados to Port of Spain.
It is simultaneously reported that, in the five years of “air bridge” service between Trinidad and Tobago, the airline has moved nearly two million passengers with a 90% on-time performance factor.
On June 18, Justice Fyard Hosein grants the ACL request and orders LIAT (1974), Ltd. to halt flights on behalf of British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA) over the Trinidad to Tobago “air bridge.” BWIA and LIAT, in turn, appeal Hosein’s decision to the court of appeals. On July 1, that high court overturns Judge Hosein’s finding and permits BWIA and LIAT to return to the “air bridge” effective August 31.
On August 20, ACL Executive Chairman Samaroo and General Manager Nelson Tom Yew meet in a “peace conference” at the Red House at Port-of-Spain with British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA) Chairman Lawrence Duprey and CEO Conrad Aleong. The session, brokered by TT Works and Transport Minister Senator Sadiq Baksh, is designed to create an atmosphere under which previous operational differences between the two carriers might be resolved. During the meeting, Baksh expresses a hope that BWIA will fly more services over the “air bridge” while ACL might be designated a national air carrier, which will allow it to expand its regional and international activities.
During the last weekend in August, the carrier operates its first jet charters; the B-737-2H4A transports over 100 representatives of the West Indies Biscuit Company from Barbados to Port-of-Spain and members of the Trinidad Cement Sports Club from Port-of-Spain to Bridgetown.
A new B-737-2H4A route is inaugurated on September 1 between Port-of-Spain and Georgetown. The new jet service complements the current turboprop flights, increasing to two the number of daily round-trips between the two points.
The YS-11A-500 route system is expanded into the wider Caribbean, with new stops added in Venezuela and Guyana.
Hurricane Georges wreaks havoc on Antigua and St. Kitts. On September 26, two YS-11A-500s, loaded with relief supplies (primarily medical equipment and medicine) undertake a “mercy flight” to the two destinations.
A second daily B-737-2H4Aroundtrip is started on September 28 between Port-of-Spain and Georgetown.
Two more B-737-200As arrive in November. At this point, daily scheduled jetliner flights are initiated to Grenada and St. Lucia, while frequencies to Guyana and Barbados are increased.
The government of Trinidad and Tobago grants ACL national carrier status on December 16 and authorizes it to apply to any government it wishes (so long as a bilateral air agreement with it is in place) for authority to undertake air service operations.
As part of the celebration surrounding the company’s status elevation, Chairman Samaroo informs reporters from The Broad Street Journal that ACL expects to begin twice-daily roundtrips to Miami by February and Caracas by March. It is hoped that, by July, the company will also be flying to Jamaica and Suriname with B-737-200As and New York with a larger B-757-200s or B-767-200s.
In his end-of-the-year message covered by The Trinidad Express on December 30, ACL’s chairman indicates that employment will be increased by 75 workers to 300 during 1999 and that a “modern international computerized reservations system incorporating the latest technology” will be in place by April. The turboprop fleet will be retired and replaced with B-737s on Caribbean routes while a B-757-200 will be obtained with which to launch flights to New York (JFK) and Toronto by July.
During January and February 1999, ACL presses ahead with its expansion plans, including installation of the new computerized reservations system. Preparations are underway for the receipt of two more leased B-737-200As and a recruiting campaign has begun for the employment of cockpit and cabin crews. Inauguration of flights to Miami (MIA) is pushed back first to April and then to May.
Following acceptance by the Guyanese carrier of an offer by local interest to take equity control of Guyana Airways Corporation, ACL, on March 1, withdraws its privatization bid. The Trinidad carrier now begins to place specific media advertisements seeking pilots.
As a result of confusion over a schedule change, 12 people are left behind on May 9 when a B-737-2T5A departs Trinidad for Barbados. All are provided free accommodations and are able to fly out the next day. The Trinidad Express reports the incident on May 11 and notes General Manager Yew’s denial that the stranded customers were badly treated.
General Manager Yew resigns on June 30 and, on July 14, is reappointed a general manager at British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA).
Chairman Samaroo takes on the general manager’s duties and the remainder of the year is spent in planning for a new route to Miami, which will, hopefully, be inaugurated shortly after the beginning of the millennium. With financing from First Citizens Bank, orders are placed for a pair of refurbished Boeing 737-200As; upwards of $10 million is also committed to meet U. S. Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
The carrier receives U. S. DOT authorization for Florida service on January 13, 2000. Four-times-a-week, low-cost roundtrips are launched on January 26, with daily flights beginning on February 2. Special fares for Carnival are introduced on February 14.
Due to expire on March 8, the carrier’s Trinidad-Tobago “airbridge” license is renewed on February 26. Despite competition from British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA), the company continues to maintain an 80% exclusivity arrangement for market share.
Twice-daily return service to Miami starts on March 31.
Amid dismissed rumors that the new route is not paying, Chairman Samaroo announces on July 6 that, in order to fund fleet and route expansion, a 49% stake is now available for sale. Not only is the equity stake not taken up, but the company now also finds itself, silently, in great financial distress. After it is unable to honor a TT$100-million (US$15.87-milion) debt to the First Citizens Bank of Trinidad on October 23, it is placed into receivership. Flights are suspended as a bank official takes possession and 350 employees are suddenly put out of work. That executive, Victor Herde, informs the laid off employees on October 30 that the airline also owes their pension fund TT$1.2 million (US$190,440).
By November 6, several Trinidad and Tobago government agencies are conducting investigations into the causes of the debacle.
World History
