REDjet

REDjet Caribbean Ltd., operating as REDjet (Airone Caribbean/Airone Ventures Limited), was a startup low-cost carrier (LCC) based at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Christ Church, Barbados,[2] near Bridgetown.[3] The privately owned airline, incorporated in Barbados featured a fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-82 and MD-83 aircraft.

Not to be confused with RED Air.
REDjet
IATA ICAO Callsign
RD RDJ Red Jet
Founded2010
Commenced operationsMay 10, 2011
Ceased operationsJune 8, 2012
Hubs
Fleet size3
Destinations6
Parent companyAirone Ventures Limited
HeadquartersGrantley Adams International Airport
Christ Church, Barbados[1]
Websitewww.flyredjet.com

Initially the airline sought to startup operations from Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport, however, the airline shifted its hub to Barbados after being denied permission to set up in Jamaica by the Jamaican Government.[4] Since that time, REDjet's CEO has announced that he would again be seeking to have a larger airline company based-in Jamaica.[5]

Operations commenced on May 10, 2011. The airline began marketing tickets on April 13, 2011.[6]

On the night of March 16, 2012, the airline suspended all its services because of financial trouble. It hoped to receive government subsidies to restart the service.[7]

On June 8, 2012, Redjet announced its closure.[8]

History

The idea of starting REDjet first came about in 2006 when airlines in the Caribbean often charged high fares for flights, and company decided to start a low-cost airline to serve the region.[9]

In 2010, a private sector envoy announced an intention to base a start-up airline at the Grantley Adams International Airport.[10] The name of the parent company is AIRONE Holdings Limited (AVL),[11] and the air venture will seek to form "the Caribbean's first low-cost carrier".[12] The envoy had initially attempted to begin operations from Jamaica[13] however, Jamaican aviation authorities reportedly rejected their application for licenses. Following this, the envoy shifted focus basing operations from Barbados. On October 16, 2010, Airone Holdings Ltd. launched their airline brand REDjet, at the Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference and Culture Centre formerly known as Sherbourne Centre. On December 10, the airline's first (of two) introductory McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft named 'Jacqualicious' after an employee, was delivered to REDjet at the Grantley Adams International Airport. On February 1, 2011, REDjet's second aircraft 'Hey Jude' was delivered to REDjet at the Grantley Adams International Airport. On the same day Business Development Manager, Robbie Burns, announced that the airline was itching to start selling tickets and get into the air, stating that the airline had already invested over 1 million USD into crew and staff hiring and training. REDjet has also concluded the purchase of their third aircraft to be delivered in late November early December. The airline has named the aircraft "Nickitastic".

On April 12, 2011, the FAA announced that Barbados failed to meet regulation standards which would prevent Barbados-based airlines (including REDjet) from flying to the US.[14]

On July 18, 2011, REDjet commences service between Barbados and Trinidad. Jamaica swiftly followed Trinidad and Tobago in granting clearance to the Barbados-based low-cost carrier. Operations began in October 2011.

On July 27, 2011, REDjet confirmed its plans to expand its operations to other Caribbean destinations in light of an announcement that the airline had gained approval to land in St Kitts (St.Christopher) and Nevis by its Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas.

On August 5, 2011, REDjet scheduled to begin flights into St Lucia from as early as October 2011 by St. Lucian Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Senator Allen Chastanet. After considerable delays, final government approval was awarded by the Barbados government in November 2011. Flights to St. Lucia commence on December 17, 2011.

On August 9, 2011, REDjet, announced it was expanding its service to Antigua and began selling tickets for flights between Trinidad and Guyana, just days after securing licences under the terms of a bilateral 'open-skies' air services agreement. The Antiguan authorities have granted REDjet permission to begin flights to St John’s. The airline plans to inaugurate a direct Antigua-Guyana route by late November.

On March 16, 2012, REDjet suspended all flights at 23:59 after coming into financial difficulties. The collapse of the airline was announced over social networking by the airlines CEO.[7]

Destinations

REDjet served the following scheduled destinations :

City Country Airport Commencement date
Saint John'sAntigua and BarbudaV. C. Bird International Airport22 November 2011
BridgetownBarbadosGrantley Adams International Airport10 May 2011
GeorgetownGuyanaCheddi Jagan International Airport10 May 2011[15]
KingstonJamaicaNorman Manley International Airport20 November 2011
Vieux FortSt LuciaHewanorra International Airport16 December 2011
Port of SpainTrinidad and TobagoPiarco International Airport28 July 2011[16]

Fleet details

The REDjet fleet consisted of MD-80 series aircraft (acquired from American Airlines) in a 149-seat all economy configuration.[1]

REDjet Fleet
Aircraft In Fleet Orders Passengers Notes
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 2 0 149
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 1 0 149
Total 3 0

References
  1. "OST-2010-0134 - Airone Ventures - Barbados-US Scheduled Passenger".
  2. "About Us - Company Information on REDjet Archived 2011-04-18 at the Wayback Machine." REDjet. Retrieved on April 13, 2011. "Its corporate offices are situated in Grantley International Airport in Barbados[...]"
  3. "REDjet Terms & Conditions Archived 2011-04-23 at the Wayback Machine." REDjet. Retrieved on April 13, 2011. "Means REDjet Limited of Corporate Head Office Bridgetown, Barbados."
  4. "Jamaica Gleaner Online".
  5. Staff writer (September 28, 2011). "REDjet to introduce Jamaica airline". Caribbean 360. We had our difficulty before because of the divestment of Air Jamaica," Burns noted. "Air Jamaica is no longer around and so we believe those barriers have been taken down and we should be approved, hopefully sometime next year, and we can start operations out of Jamaica. That should bring somewhere in the region of six to seven hundred jobs to Jamaica."
  6. Loveridge, Adrian (21 December 2010). "TOURISM MATTERS: Carriers make travel more affordable". Nation Newspaper.
  7. "Discount airline REDjet halts all flights across Caribbean, blames lack of funds". March 17, 2012.
  8. "REDjet formally announces closure, seeks bankruptcy protection". June 8, 2012.
  9. Staff writer (17 December 2010). "Red Jet offering rock bottom fares". Nation Newspaper. Archived from the original on 2010-10-18. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  10. Staff writer (19 May 2010). "Airone likely to commence operations this year". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 2010-05-22. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  11. Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office of Barbados - AIRONE VENTURES LIMITED
  12. O'Hora, Ailish (March 2008). "Proposals for Caribbean 'Ryanair' are grounded". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  13. Myers Jr., John (21 December 2007). "Airone Ventures going after 'national carrier' status - But says won't compete with Air Jamaica". Jamaica Gleaner. Archived from the original on 2007-12-24. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  14. "Barbados aviation fails test for US-bound flights - BusinessWeek". www.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on 2011-04-17.
  15. Staff writer (11 May 2011). "REDjet commences Guyana-Barbados flights". Kaieteur News. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  16. Ramsay, Allison. "REDjet launches Trinidad route". The Barbados Advocate. Archived from the original on 2012-05-06. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
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