Hummingbird Air
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| Founded | 31 August 2013 | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | 2013 | ||||||
| Operating bases | Henry E. Rohlsen Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 3 | ||||||
| Destinations | 8 | ||||||
| Company slogan | Connecting the hidden Caribbean | ||||||
| Key people | Sam Raphael, president | ||||||
| Website | hum-air.com | ||||||
Hummingbird Air is an airline offering scheduled and chartered air taxi services as well as cargo flights in the Caribbean. It is based at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on the island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.[1][2] The airline was founded in late 2013 by Sam Raphael, a Dominican hotelier who wanted to improve air service to Dominica. As of late 2015, Hummingbird Air serves 8 destinations in the Caribbean with a fleet of 3 Beechcraft Model 99 aircraft.
The airline suspended operations on 8 November 2015 following a second crash-landing within four months. Following a period of reorganization, it will resume flights sometime in 2016.
History
The owner of Hummingbird Air, Sam Raphael, had expressed issues with air service to Dominica as early as 2010.[3] As owner of the Jungle Bay Resort on the island, he claimed the lack of direct flights had turned potential customers away from his resort.[4] On 31 August 2013, Raphael announced his intent to start the airline, claiming it would be important to the Dominican tourism industry.[5]
Hummingbird Air commenced operations in late 2013 with charter flights.[2] It inaugurated flights to Dominica on 27 July 2014, from St. Thomas.[4]
In October 2015, the airline obtained Part 135 certification from the U.S. Department of Transportation, allowing it to operate scheduled flights.[6]
On 17 August 2015, a Hummingbird Air aircraft crash-landed in Barbuda.[7] Another crash-landing occurred in St. Lucia on 8 November. The airline responded by immediately suspending all passenger operations and launching an internal investigation. The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority also started an investigation of the incident.[8][9]
Hummingbird Air is undergoing reorganization and will resume flights sometime in 2016. It had planned to resume operations in late December following the Christmas season,[10] although this did not occur. The reorganization involves a restructuring of operating procedures, management changes, and initiatives to retrain captains.[10]
Destinations
As of late 2015, Hummingbird Air operates scheduled flights to the following destinations:[11]
Fleet
As of late 2015, Hummingbird Air operates a fleet of 3 Beechcraft Model 99 aircraft.[2]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft Model 99 | 3 | — | 9 | passenger capacity reduced from 15 to accommodate for cargo[12] |
Accidents and incidents
- On 17 August 2015, a Hummingbird Air Beechcraft Model 99 flying from V. C. Bird International Airport in Antigua to Barbuda Codrington Airport veered off the runway and crashed into a field upon arrival in Barbuda. None of the six passengers on board were injured in the accident.[7]
- On 8 November 2015, another Beechcraft Model 99, registered N7994H, veered off the runway into a grassy area upon landing at George F. L. Charles Airport in St. Lucia. The aircraft's right landing gear had malfunctioned. The sole occupant of the aircraft, the pilot, was not harmed. Following the incident, Hummingbird Air suspended all operations and the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority launched an investigation.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ "Airline Information: Hummingbird Air". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Profile on Hummingbird Air". CAPA - Centre for Aviation. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ↑ "Hotelier Sam Raphael bemoans accessibility issues with tourism here". Dominica News Online. 4 July 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Hummingbird Air begins charter flights into Canefield Airport in Dominica". TheDominican.net. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ↑ "Dominican hotelier announces aviation venture". Da Vibes via Repeating Islands. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ↑ "US Virgin Islands' Hummingbird Air now Part 135 compliant". Ch-aviation. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- 1 2 Gilbert, Ernice (18 August 2015). "Hummingbird Air Crash-Lands In Barbuda; No One Injured". The Virgin Islands Consortium. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- 1 2 Malone, Tameika (9 November 2015). "Hummingbird Air cancels all flights after another crash landing". Antigua Observer. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- ↑ "Hummingbird Air cancels passenger flights following incident in St. Lucia". Dominica News Online. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Hummingbird Air to resume passenger flights late December". Dominica News Online. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- ↑ Hummingbird Air website. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Hummingbird Air to start regular service between Dominica & VI". Virgin Islands News Online. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- ↑ "New Flights From St Kitts to St Thomas and St Croix". Caribbean Journal. 21 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2015.