Yet another airline is bidding farewell to passengers.
Much like Spirit Airlines, Air Antilles is now grounded rather than airborne and is closing its business.
The Commercial Court of Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe announced the shutdown on April 27 of the French-Caribbean airline, which had been providing essential flights between Guadeloupe, Martinique and other Caribbean islands for more than two decades.
It marks an abrupt end for the longtime carrier, which collapsed under the weight of financial and operational problems.
The entire ordeal began in December last year when the Direction de la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile (DSAC), the French aviation regulatory agency, revoked Air Antilles’ operating licence following a failed safety audit.
With its licence revoked, the airline was unable to continue normal operations. The setback reduced services, limited flight routes and led to a loss of customers.
The decline in passengers also prevented the airline from raising the funds needed to address the issues that caused it to fail the safety audit.
No bailout emerged to rescue the airline from financial trouble, resulting in accumulated debt of more than US$69 million.
Late last month, a court ordered Air Antilles to be liquidated.
“During the observation period, the administrator concluded that it was impossible to present a recovery plan through continued operations, given the size of the liabilities,” according to Le Journal de Saint-Barth.
After being forced to shut down in December and facing a court-ordered liquidation, the airline formally filed for permanent closure on May 11. High debt, a lack of investment and competition from larger carriers made recovery impossible.
The closure of Air Antilles is expected to significantly impact Caribbean air travel, as the airline provided critical links to major international hubs such as Paris, New York and Miami.
Its absence will leave fewer flight options for residents and tourists travelling to and from the French Caribbean. (Penn Live)
