Air Jamaica to become all Boeing

[nwafan20]

Air Jamaica to become an all-Boeing airline

That's according to Travel Weekly (free registration), which says the Caribbean carrier's recently unveiled five-year business plan calls for "swapping its current fleet of 15 Airbus aircraft for an all-Boeing 757 fleet beginning later this year." Paul Pennicook, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Air Jamaica, tells Travel Weekly the first routes to get 757 service will "probably be the routes from New York [JFK] to Montego Bay and Kingston [Jamaica] and from Toronto to Kingston." He says the 757 is "more suited to our mission. It carries 188 passengers and has much more room for baggage. It will carry a larger payload and fly a longer route much more efficiently." The switch to 757s will begin later this year and will come on a "staggered basis over an 18- to 24-month period," Travel Weekly writes.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Interesting, a bit back to the future as I remember Jamaica used to be a 727 operator when I was a kid. Personally I quite like their A320, had a very comfortable flight with them a few years back. I wonder where the 75's will come from as (obviously) they can't be ordered new and late model 75s with ETOPS are apparently in demand right now. Also have to wonder where the 'buses will go as they can't be more than 7 or 8 years old IIRC.

[cancidas]

where are they getting the 757s from? how many airframes will be in the fleet? will they keep the same colors?

[Winglets747]

Very interesting. I think it was back at Airliners International 2004 (LAX) that an Air Jamaica executive gave the key note speech. This was only a few months after the 787's launch, and he said Boeing gave Air Jamaica a presentation about the 787 and Air Jamaica was very interested...but not at that time. This makes me wonder if that time is coming now.

Was there any mention about the 343s in the fleet?

-Will

[nwafan20]

I have no idea about Air Jamaca, wrong guy to ask here, I just tell the story. :)

You know, with the popularity of the 757, Boeing should re-open up the 757 line with the 757adv.

[Midnight Mike]

I have no idea about Air Jamaca, wrong guy to ask here, I just tell the story. :)

You know, with the popularity of the 757, Boeing should re-open up the 757 line with the 757adv.

The 757 is becoming popular again due to a combination of the aircrafts performance & cost. 2nd hand 757 aircraft are much cheaper than an aircraft coming off of the line.

[Matt Molnar]

Don't they fly to London?

[mirrodie]

That is going to stink :(

gonna miss seeing that graceful A 340 limosine climb out of JFK :(

[Nonstop2AUH]

Does anyone know who might be shedding a fleet of 15 late model 757s? I read they had one leased from North American but doing a whole fleet swap isn't going to be easy unless they make a deal with someone who is downsizing or replacing their 75 fleet. I saw on the Caribbean pilots' board a comment that someone in AJM management came from America West and was advocating this move, could the planes come from there i.e. US Airways, and if so, aren't they a bit old already?

[hiss srq]

I think there are outstanding 757's with AA that Delta is not picking up and supposedly a few UA birds are headded to the land of the sand soon so possibly those?

[Winglets747]

Airfleets shows 10 A320, 6 A321, and 2 A343--so it seems the 757s would replace the 320 and 321s.

The original article (http://www.travelweekly.com/articles.as ... leid=54880 (http://www.travelweekly.com/articles.aspx?articleid=54880) see http://www.bugmenot.com/view/travelweekly.com for password) does not say how many 757s are coming.

[DHG750R]

You know, with the popularity of the 757, Boeing should re-open up the 757 line with the 757adv.

I was thinking something along those same lines not long ago . the 757 has become popular (again) . I am pretty sure Boeing would do all possible to resist in favor of the 737NG series. Having working knowlege of the 75 and seeing what it is capable of . I doubt there is any airplane of comperable size of lifting off at max weight, with 190 or so folks and all their bags from places like LGA or SNA and flying 3000nm. It's truly one of a kind .

I'd be very interested to see what kind of interest airlines would have if Boeing reopened the line...