St. Martin is formed at St. Barthelemy, Guadeloupe, in 1994 to offer scheduled cargo and express services. Revenue operations commence with an all-leased fleet of five Cessna 208 Caravan Is and three Cessna 406 Caravan Ils. Orders are placed for a Beech 1900D.
The Beech 1900D is delivered in the fall of 1995.
While flying 18 illegal Haitian immigrants back to Port-au-Prince from Cayenne, via Guadeloupe, on December 8, a Beech 1900D, with two crew, descends prematurely and crashes into a 5,030-ft. mountain at Belle-Anse, Haiti; there are no survivors.
Operations continue apace in 1996. During the first quarter of 1997, a Dornier 228-202 is purchased from Fairchild Dornier. Flights continue apace in 1998.
During the first quarter of 1999, the B-737-200A of Islandsflug, H. F. is wet-leased to Caraibenne des Transportes Aeriens, a joint venture established on January 6 by Air France, Air Martinique, S. A., Air Saint Martin, S. A., and SATA (Societe Antillaise de Trans-portes Aeriens, S. A.-Air Guadeloupe) to replace the French major on its Caribbean routes from Fort de France and Pointe-a-Pitre to Cayenne, Miami, and Port-au-Prince. The Icelandic Boeing will be returned as soon as the combine is able to secure a pair of B-737-300s. The Air France-sponsored combine transports a total of
600,000 passengers on the year.
In order to create a larger carrier, the small airlines of the French Caribbean, including this unit, are merged into SATA (Societe Antil-laise de Transports Aeriens, S. A.-Air Guadeloupe) during July 2000. The surviving partner, controlled by 70% majority owner Groupe Dubreuil, which had previously owned the French carrier Regional Airlines, S. A., is then renamed Air Caraibes, S. A. (2).
AIR SAINT-PIERRE, S. A.: 18 Rue Albert Briand, BP 4225, St.-Pierre, 97500, St.-Pierre et Miquelon; Phone 508 41 4718; Fax 508 41 2336; http://www.205.250.151.22/aspweb; Code PJ; Year Founded 1964. Albert Briand forms this third-level operation on March 6, 1964 to provide nonscheduled passenger and cargo flights between the French Overseas Department of St.-Pierre and Miquelon and the Nova Scotian town of Sydney. Between March and June, service between the French islands off the Newfoundland coast and the Canadian province is conducted as part of a pooling agreement with Eastern Provincial Airways, Ltd. (EPA).
The carrier’s initial owned aircraft is a Piper PA-23 Aztec, placed into service during 1965.
An Aztec C is purchased in 1966 as a maintenance agreement is signed with EPA. Founder Briand dies on May 29, and is succeeded as president by his son Remy L. Briand. Lightplane services continue in association with EPA in 1967-1970. During the latter year, international traffic rights to launch scheduled service are successfully negotiated.
The route between St.-Pierre and Sydney is flown with a Beech 18 and a leased EPA DC-3 in 1971-1975. The latter is replaced in 1976 with a leased EPA Hawker Siddely HS-748. A route is opened from St.-Pierre to Miquelon and is flown in 1977-1978.
In 1979-1980, the routes between St.-Pierre and both Miquelon and Sydney are merged and operated under pool with EPA. A new route is stretched to Halifax. A Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain is placed into service during 1981 and a maintenance contract is signed with Fundy Aviation.
Operations are continued in 1982-1985. A second and owned HS-748 is acquired in 1986; it is christened Ville de Saint-Pierre and joins the leased unit in service.
HS-748 service is inaugurated on July 1, 1987 between St.-Pierre and Montreal. Flights continue in 1988-1989. During these years, the carrier becomes a member of Canadian International Airlines, Ltd.’s Canadian Partner commuter network. Frequencies are started to Montreal and Halifax, now with two HS 748s in addition to the Navajo.
A second owned HS-748 is delivered in 1990 and christened Ile de Miquelon. Operations continue apace in 1991-1993 and the fleet is increased by the addition of 2 PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains and 1 Piper Aztec. The first Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-320, named Albert Briand, is placed into service on January 19, 1994.
At the end of 1995, the Ville de Saint-Pierre and Ile de Miquelon are sold to an African operator. Service is maintained with the Albert Briand and the Pipers.
Thrice-weekly ATR42-320 roundtrips commence on September 25, 1996, between Saint Pierre and St. John’s.
On June 2, 1997, a French-language homepage is opened on the World Wide Web. On the year as a whole, a total of 28, 508 passengers are transported.
Flights continue without change in 1998-1999. During the latter year enplanements reach 24,000.
Airline employment stands at 38 at the beginning of 2000, a 2.7% increase over the previous 12 months.
AIR SAINT THOMAS: P. O. Box 302788, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands 00803, United States; Phone (809) 776-2722; Fax (809) 776 2992; Code ZP; Year Founded 1993. Originally formed in 1970 as Virgin Air by Paul and Margaret Wilkander at St. Thomas to provide all-cargo services to destinations in the Leeward Islands. Providing almost exclusively passenger services with a fleet of Piper PA-23 Aztecs, Cessna 402Cs, and Pilatus-Britten-Norman PBN Islanders, by the early 1990s, the small regional files a trademark/name infringement and unfair competition suit against the U. K.’s Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd. The case is settled out of court in December 1993. Under terms of the settlement, the U. S. company agrees to drop its charges and receives $30,000 to be employed in changing its corporate identity to Air St. Thomas.
A total of 15,372 passengers are flown in 1994 and operations continue apace in 1995.
The employee population stands at 20 in 1996 and the fleet includes 5 Piper PA-23 Aztecs and 1 Cessna 402C.
On August 5, while taking off from St. Barthelemy Island enroute to St. Thomas, a Cessna 402B with a pilot and six passengers aborts its takeoff, but cannot stop prior to overrunning the runway. The plane comes to rest in three feet of water and one passenger is slightly injured.
Passenger boardings for the year total 8,986.
One person is hired in 1997, a 5% employee population increase. Destinations visited include Fajardo, St. Barthelemy, St. Thomas Island, San Juan, and Virgin Gorda.
Customer bookings fall 6.8% to 8,372.
Service is maintained in 1998 and business significantly improves. Passenger boardings increase 54.2% to 13,000. By the beginning of 1999, airline employment has been reduced by 4.8% to 20. Customer bookings drop 19.6% to 10,000.
The workforce of 12 that remains at the beginning of 2000 represents a 40% reduction in force over the past 12 months.
World History
