Cayman Airways will operate flights with three jet planes instead of the usual four over the next couple of months.
This is because one of its jets has just been retired and the replacement jet has been delayed in getting here.
However, the airline has asserted that adjustments were made in good time for the CAL flight schedule to accommodate the situation.
‘As a small airline, we are accustomed to operating effectively without the luxury of spare aircraft,’ said president and CEO of Cayman Airways Patrick Strasburger.
One of its 737-200s, registration VP-CKX, was retired from operations with Cayman Airways on 26 March.
The 737-300 that is coming on board to replace the outgoing jet has been delayed in getting here and is not expected to be in service until the end of May.
When the new plane comes it means the CAL fleet will consist of three 737-300s and one 737-200 – a quick change cargo to passenger jet- along with the two Twin Otter aircraft which service the Sister Islands.
Mr. Strasburger explained, ‘The original plan was for this third 737-300 to be delivered and introduced to service before VP-CKX was retired. The delivery of the third 737-300 is however delayed beyond our control and appropriate adjustments were made in good time to our flight schedule to compensate for the delay.’
Mr. Strasburger elaborated how the airline will manage with three jet airplanes. ‘The CAL flight schedule over the last 10 months has consistently required the use of all four aircraft in the fleet including the quick change aircraft, for passenger operations. The current schedule will require all three aircraft currently in the fleet, which means the quick change cargo aircraft will continue in use in a manner very similar to the previous schedule.’
At this point, the airline expects to take delivery of the incoming plane by mid-April, and to have the aircraft in service by the end of May.
The aircraft is owned by International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and will join the Cayman Airways fleet under an ‘operating lease’ arrangement.
It will also go into service in the new look in line with the airline’s brand enhancement.
‘The aircraft is being delivered in an ‘all-white’ paint scheme and our livery will be applied while the aircraft undergoes an integration check, to configure and customize the aircraft for our operations,’ said Mr. Strasburger.
The outgoing aircraft is the second 737-200 to be retired by Cayman Airways as part of a planned 737-200 fleet retirement programme.
The aircraft is owned by Cayman Airways and is being marketed for sale, as was the case with the first 737-200 (VP-CAL) that was retired and sold last year.
By fall of this year three of the four jets will be in the new livery after the third 737-300 undergoes its heavy maintenance visit in September, when the new livery will be applied.
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