Editing Air Jamaica (section)

==History==
According to [[R.E.G. Davies]] in his ''Airlines of Latin America Since 1919'', the first incarnation of Air Jamaica was founded on August 27, 1963, after the government of Jamaica decided not to invest in [[British West Indian Airways]] (BWIA). Dubbed '''Jamaica Air Service Ltd.''', its shareholders were the government of Jamaica (51 percent), the [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]] (BOAC), and BWIA (16 percent). BWIA's employees in Jamaica were transferred to the new airline. Service to Miami and New York began on May 1, 1966.

BOAC, Britain's major international airline at the time, and BWIA had continued to maintain the leased aircraft (this operating arrangement would not expire until the end of May 1969). The Jamaican government preferred a more independent approach and eventually prepared to establish a new company, Air Jamaica (1968) Ltd.

Air Jamaica was established in October 1968, and started operations on April 1, 1969, connecting [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] (KIN) and [[Montego Bay]] (MBJ), with [[New York City|New York]] (JFK) and [[Miami, Florida|Miami]] (MIA).<ref name="FI">[[Flight International]] 27 March 2007</ref> At that time the Jamaican government owned a substantial part of the airline, with [[Air Canada]] owning a minority share (40 percent) and providing aircraft (one [[Douglas DC-8-61]] and three [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30]] jetliners), pilots, technical, maintenance and logistical help.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

[[File:Douglas DC-9-32 6Y-JIJ JM ORD 28.07.75 edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|Douglas DC-9-32 of Air Jamaica at [[Chicago O'Hare International Airport]] in 1975]]

During the 1970s, Air Jamaica expanded rapidly. Flights were added to [[Toronto]] (YYZ) and [[Montreal]] (YUL) in Canada, to [[Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport]] (SJU) in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]], to [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] (PHL) and many other destinations, especially across the Caribbean. Long-haul services to Europe were started on 1 April 1974. Air Jamaica used a Douglas DC-8 and three DC-9s for a large part of the 1970s, but the  [[Boeing 727-200]] became part of the fleet toward the end of the decade when the government bought out [[Air Canada]]'s share. Growth slowed in the 1980s. New routes were opened to [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] (BWI) and [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] (ATL).{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

[[File:Air Jamaica Boeing 747-100 Fitzgerald.jpg|thumb|right|Air Jamaica leased a [[Boeing 747-100]] from [[Aer Lingus]] in the early 1980s.]]

In 1983, Air Jamaica was operating nonstop [[Boeing 747-100]] jumbo jet service between Kingston and [[London]] [[Heathrow Airport]] (LHR) with this flight continuing on from London to [[Frankfurt, Germany]] (FRA) and was also flying nonstop [[Airbus A300]] service between Kingston and [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] (JFK) in [[New York City]].<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, July 1, 1983 Official Airline Guides (OAGs), London Heathrow-Kingston and Frankfurt flight schedules & New York JFK-Kingston flight schedules</ref>

In 1989, the Jamaican government announced plans for the privatization of the airline, which had been fully state owned since Air Canada divested its 40 percent shareholding in 1980. However, it was not until May 1994 that a partial selloff was announced when a group of Jamaican and Canadian investors known as the Air Jamaica Acquisition Group (AJAG) agreed to acquire a 70 percent share of the carrier for $26.5 million. Another five percent share was earmarked for employees. The government retained responsibility for liabilities, which were considerable.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

A merger of Air Jamaica with other Caribbean airlines was already being proposed, with British Airways invited to take a 25 percent holding in the venture. In the first stage, Air Jamaica was to have merged its operations with those of Trinidad and Tobago Airways, parent of BWIA. [[Guyana Airways Corporation]] and [[LIAT|Leeward Islands Air Transport]] were to later join the venture.

During the 1990s, Air Jamaica continued to expand. The airline took over the Kingston-[[Nassau, Bahamas]] (NAS) route, which had been left by [[British Airways]], began a code sharing agreement with [[Delta Air Lines]] and opened a route to [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] (PHX, which was later dropped), and to [[Frankfurt]] (FRA), [[London]] (LHR), [[Manchester]] (MAN), [[Santo Domingo]] (SDQ) and [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Ft. Lauderdale]] (FLL). The route to Phoenix was opened because Air Jamaica was looking to expand in the American west beyond its route to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] ([[LAX]]). In 1994 the company was partially privatized, the private investors were led by hotelier [[Gordon "Butch" Stewart]] with the government retaining 25 percent of the company and giving five percent to the airline's employees. It continued operating [[Airbus]] jetliners, including the wide-body [[Airbus A340]], and began a feeder service, a frequent flyer program (7th Heaven), and an inflight magazine, named ''SkyWritings''. In 1996, the airline was flying nonstop service between Kingston and London [[Heathrow Airport]] with an [[Airbus A310]] jetliner.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, Oct. 1, 1996 Official Airline Guide (OAG), London Heathrow-Kingston flight schedules</ref>  In 1999, Air Jamaica was operating nonstop service between Montego Bay and Los Angeles with [[Airbus A320]] aircraft.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Los Angeles-Montego Bay flight schedules</ref>

In December 2004, after financial losses, the government of Jamaica resumed full ownership of Air Jamaica. It employed 2,522 people as of March 2007.<ref name="FI"/>

By March 2010, Air Jamaica had net losses in 40 of its 42 years of existence, and an accumulated deficit of approximately $1.54 billion.<ref name="IFC">[http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/4ceb7d00498391e08654d6336b93d75f/PPPStories_Jamaica_AirJamaica.pdf?MOD=AJPERES Public-Private Partnership Stories: Jamaica: Air Jamaica], [[International Finance Corporation]].</ref>

In 2007, the new [[Government of Jamaica|Jamaican government]] began to consider privatization of Air Jamaica, seeking to remove an unsustainable venture from its balance sheet.<ref name="IFC"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/425_Statement+to+Parliament+Air+Jamaica+Divestment+Project.pdf|title=Houses of Parliament|website=www.japarliament.gov.jm}}</ref>

In October 2007, Bruce Nobles, President and Chief Operational Officer of Air Jamaica from May 2002 to June 2003, was asked to return. He replaced William Rogers, who was interim President and CEO of the airline since the October 2007 resignation of CEO Michael Conway.

On 4 July 2009, [[The Gleaner|''The Jamaica Gleaner'']] reported that U.S.-based [[Spirit Airlines]] had reached an agreement with the Jamaican government to acquire the national airline.<ref name="USAToday">{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-07-06-spirit-air-jamaica_N.htm |title=Report: Spirit Airlines buys Air Jamaica |newspaper=USA Today |date=2009-07-06 |access-date=2013-01-06}}</ref>

On 17 December 2009, it was reported that the Prime Minister of Jamaica had recently approached the [[government of Trinidad and Tobago]] regarding a possible merger or acquisition by [[Caribbean Airlines]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2009/12/17/jamaica-pm-flies-air-jamaica-cal-talks |title=Jamaica PM flies in for Air Jamaica /CAL talks |publisher=Guardian.co.tt |date=2012-05-26 |access-date=2013-01-06}}</ref>

It was decided that Air Jamaica would cease to operate under Jamaican ownership and be primarily run by Caribbean Airlines until the transitional process was complete. Caribbean Airlines acquired the airline's fleet and route rights on 1 May 2010, and opened a new hub at Kingston's [[Norman Manley International Airport]]. The acquisition made Caribbean Airlines the largest airline in the Caribbean. On 27 May 2011, Jamaican Finance Minister [[Audley Shaw]] and Trinidadian Finance Minister [[Winston Dookeran]] signed the shareholding agreement, making Caribbean Airlines the national airline of Jamaica with access to all routes operated by the former Air Jamaica.<ref>"[http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/business/air_jamaica_on_course_for_possible_april_12_takeover.html Air Jamaica on course for possible April 12 takeover]." Caribbean 360. 4 March 2010. Retrieved on 5 March 2010.</ref> On 1 July 2011, all Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines's flights began operating under Caribbean Airlines's "BW" IATA code.<ref>{{cite web|last=Karp |first=Aaron |url=http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-data/news/air-jamaica-caribbean-airlines-further-integration-0630 |title=Air Jamaica, Caribbean Airlines further integration |publisher=ATWOnline |date=2011-07-01 |access-date=2013-01-06}}</ref>

The airline operated scheduled services from Kingston and Montego Bay to seven destinations in the Caribbean, Canada and the United States. The airline's acquisition by Caribbean Airlines of [[Trinidad and Tobago]] was implemented on May 1, 2010. However the current owners intended to keep the name Air Jamaica for as long as they were in possession of the company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100429/lead/lead1.html |title=Caribbean Airlines to re-hire 1,000 workers|author=Daraine Luton|newspaper=Jamaica Gleaner |date=29 April 2010}}</ref>

The airline officially reopened operations on May 1, 2010, upon acquisition by [[Caribbean Airlines Limited]]. The new airline was owned by [[Caribbean Airlines Limited]] of which the government of Jamaica held 16 percent of shares.<ref name="State"/> The acquisition by [[Caribbean Airlines]] also gave the company exclusive rights to the ''Air Jamaica'' name for one year, with options for annual renewal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobile.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100721/business/business2.php |title=Jamaica Gleaner News - Jamaica leases Air Jamaica trademarks for US$5/year - Wednesday &#124; July 21, 2010 |publisher=Mobile.jamaica-gleaner.com |date=2010-07-21 |access-date=2013-01-06}}</ref> On January 14, 2011, the Air Jamaica brand was relaunched at the [[Norman Manley International Airport]] with the unveiling of a new livery. The [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] aircraft, registered in Trinidad and Tobago, bore elements of Air Jamaica's original livery along with alterations to align the corporate identity with Caribbean Airlines. Each aircraft will bear a sticker of Caribbean Airlines logo along with both [[Jamaican flag|Jamaican]] and [[Flag of Trinidad and Tobago|Trinbagonian]] national flags.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Caribbean-Airlines-reaffirms-commitment-to-Air-Jamaica |title=Caribbean Airlines reaffirms commitment to Air J |publisher=JamaicaObserver.com |access-date=2013-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202142407/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Caribbean-Airlines-reaffirms-commitment-to-Air-Jamaica |archive-date=2014-02-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Air Jamaica ceased all operations in 2015.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}