The liquidation of Air Antilles, ordered at the end of April by the Pointe-à-Pitre commercial court, illustrates the persistent difficulties facing regional air transport in the Caribbean. Several inter-island airlines are currently struggling to maintain their operations in a particularly challenging economic climate.
According to an analysis published by consultant Caroline Romney, regional services suffer in particular from a low number of passengers, high taxation and a continuous rise in operating costs, especially those related to fuel and maintenance of regional aircraft.
Companies forced to diversify
However, some companies manage to maintain their financial stability thanks to long-haul flights. This is particularly true of Air Caraïbes, Air France, and Saint-Barth Commuter, which combine regional and international routes to better distribute their revenue.
The report also recalls the successive bankruptcies of several Caribbean carriers such as Insel Air or Redjet, which faced the same structural difficulties.
An economic model deemed to be running out of steam
The study also estimates that approximately 30% of ticket prices are due to airport taxes and fees, a particularly high level for short inter-island flights. Faced with this situation, several experts are now advocating for an overhaul of the economic model for regional air transport in the Caribbean.
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