| Airline: | Caricom Airways |
| Icao: | CRB |
| Callsign: | CARIBBEAN COMMUTER[1] |
| Founded: | April 2004 |
| Ceased: | September 2018 |
| Headquarters: | Paramaribo, Suriname |
| Key People: | Steven Rory Michael Chin-A-Kwie (CEO) & (Managing Director) |
| Bases: | Zorg en Hoop Airport |
| Hubs: | Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport |
| Frequent Flyer: | Caricom Privilege & Caricom Privilege BIZ |
| Alliance: | Surinam Airways & METS |
Caricom Airways, which stands for Caribbean Commuter Airways, was a regional airline from the Caribbean, with the headquarters of the company at Paramaribo, Suriname. From the down-town Zorg en Hoop Airport in Suriname, Caricom Airways mainly flew charter flights to various destinations in the interior of Suriname, the Caribbean and Northern Brazil.[2] [3]
Caricom Airways had plans for regular flights to regional destinations. The airline had earlier temporarily set those plans aside for cooperation with Surinam Airways (SLM = Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij). As its feeder commuter airline Caricom Airways carried out few scheduled flights to the hinterland of Suriname for SLM. This National airline, Surinam Airways (SLM), in collaboration with Caricom Airways, reintroduced domestic service to various destinations in Suriname using three aircraft belonging to Caricom Airways: two Islanders and a Cessna 206. Operational control remained in the hands of Caricom Airways. SLM periodically performed quality checks on the aircraft and audited Caricom Airways. Passengers were eventually able to book these domestic flights through SLM's worldwide booking, which the airline had hoped to spur the local tourism industry. This joint venture also included METS Tours, a subsidiary of Surinam Airways. Caricom Airways retained its identity but joined SLM's quality program and flew with their colours.[4] [5]
Caricom Airways was earlier planning to add four 50 seat-turboprops to its fleet of smaller Islander, Cessna and Piper aircraft to launch regional scheduled flights. The airline did not finalize this flight schedule, but the plan was to serve Boa Vista International Airport (BVB), Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), Georgetown Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO) and St. Lucia Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) from Paramaribo Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (PBM). It had previously planned to operate scheduled flights to several Eastern Caribbean islands from its Caribbean hub at Saint Lucia but never received the necessary approvals.[6]
The company was founded on April 13, 2004, as Kuyake Aviation (Kuyake is Surinamese for toucan). At first the main mission of the company was to provide flight training towards the Private & Commercial Pilot License. Kuyake Aviation started with a Cessna 337G Super Skymaster (PZ-PYV) and a Cessna 172R Skyhawk (PZ-NYQ). Later in 2005 a Cessna 206H Stationair (PZ-TYA) airplane was added. In August 2006 a Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain (PZ-PTA) with Panther conversion was bought followed by another Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain (PZ-TYW).[7]
In 2009 the main focus shifted from flight training to Commercial Services. With this change of mission the decision was also made to split the company to "Caribbean Commuter Airways N.V." (abbreviated: Caricom Airways N.V.) and "Kuyake Aviation Academy".[8]
Caricom Airways had a fleet expansion in 2010 when two Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander (PZ-TYD & PZ-TYL) arrived for passenger charters. In 2013 Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander (PZ-TYD) was painted in full SLM Commuter colours with small Caricom Airways titles, named "Village of Djumu".[9]
Kuyake Aviation was also based at the Zorg en Hoop Airport in Paramaribo, Suriname and was a modern school facility operating a fleet of Cessna Aircraft & Simulators all equipped with the latest in Glass Cockpit Technology. Caribbean Commuter Airways in the meantime was divided into Caricom Airways Barbados as a regional charter airline and Caricom Airways Suriname, both using the Caribbean Commuter Airways logo, and operating as a domestic charter airline within Suriname and the Caribbean region, together with running the Caricom Airways Flight Academy effectively with Kuyake Aviation Flight Academy.[10]
In 2011 a cooperation was reached with EZ AIR from Bonaire, this company regularly flew between Bonaire, Curaçao and Aruba, later also to Saba and Sint Maarten using two Islanders, eventually taking over one Islander aircraft (PZ-TYD to PJ-TYD) from Caricom Airways.[11] In 2018 the owners of Caricom Airways moved to Curacao to open up a new airline and flight school to be named " Dutch Caribbean Islandhopper".[12]
Caricom Airways had a fleet of different types of aircraft.
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (Economy) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Britten Norman BN2 Islander | 2 | 9 | Surinam Airways Commuter (SLM) | |
| Cessna 206H Stationair 6 | 1 | 5 | Caricom Airways | |
| 2 | 9 | Kuyake Aviation / Caricom Airways | ||
| Cessna 337G Skymaster | 1 | 5 | Kuyake Aviation / Caricom Airways | |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk | 1 | 3 | Kuyake Aviation Academy / Caricom Airways Flight Academy | |
| Total | 7 |
Caricom Airways flew charters to 67 destinations, including 62 within the CARICOM and 5 abroad:
Outside the CARICOM: