Fly Jamaica Airways was a Jamaican airline headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica. The airline's main hub was based in Norman Manley International AirportinKingston, Jamaica. The airline mainly offered routes to North America. On 31 March 2019, Fly Jamaica Airways suspended operations and made all employee positions redundant due to the lack of aircraft.[1] The airline had been trying to recover after one of its aircraft experienced a runway excursion at Guyana's Cheddi Jagan International Airport in November 2018.[2] The company slogan was One Team, One Dream.
Fly Jamaica Airways was formed by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Guyana-born Paul Ronald Reece, Mrs. Roxanne Reece and three Jamaican shareholders including Captain Lloyd Tai and Mrs. Christine Steele and Mrs. Shaun Lawson-Laing.[citation needed] Captain Reece is also the owner of Wings Aviation Ltd, based in Guyana, which owns and operates Cessna aircraft in the interior of Guyana.[citation needed]
Fly Jamaica Airways was certified by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) in September 2012 and was cleared to operate in the United States by US authorities in December.[3] Its inaugural flight from Kingston to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in the United States, was made on 14 February 2013.[4]
On 16 November 2017, Fly Jamaica Airways was given permission by the Government of Guyana to begin direct flights between Guyana and Cuba.[5]
Citing financial problems and lack of aircraft, Fly Jamaica Airways suspended their operations and made all of their staff redundant on 31 March 2019.[2]
On 9 November 2018, Fly Jamaica Airways Flight 256, Boeing 757 (reg. N524AT), returned to Cheddi Jagan International AirportinTimehri, Guyana for an emergency landing, 45 minutes into a flight destined for Toronto. During the landing, the aircraft overran the runway. The incident occurred at approximately 1:30 am. There were approximately 118 passengers and 8 crew members were on board the aircraft. The aircraft was severely damaged.[7][8][9][10] On 16 November 2018, an elderly passenger who had been on the flight died from injuries suffered in a fall at home.[11][12][13]
Media related to Fly Jamaica Airways at Wikimedia Commons
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