Air Martinique

Air Martinique
Societé Nouvelle Air Martinique
IATA ICAO Call sign
NN MTQ AIR MARTINIQUE
Founded1974
Ceased operationsJuly 2000
HubsMartinique Aimé Césaire International Airport
Destinations10 (1997)
HeadquartersFort-de-France, Martinique

Air Martinique was an airline based in the island of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. Its head office was on the grounds of Fort-de-France Airport, now Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport, in Le Lamentin.[1][2]

History

Air Martinique was founded in 1974 as Compagnie Antillaise d'Affretments Aériens-CAAA. The official operating name from the early 1980s was Societé Nouvelle Air Martinique (S.N.A.M.).

In 1982, Air Martinique was operating regional service in the Caribbean with small Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander and de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft with scheduled passenger service from Barbados, Dominica, Fort-de-France, Mustique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent (Antilles) and Union Island.[3] The airline had previously operated Sud Aviation Caravelle jet service in the Caribbean region in 1980.

In 1993, Air Martinique was operating wide body McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 transatlantic service between Fort-de-France and Pointe-a-Pitre in the French Caribbean and Paris Orly Airport.[4] By 1995, the air carrier was continuing to operate regional services in the Caribbean (using the two letter "PN" IATA airline code at this time which had replaced the two letter "NN" airline code formerly used by Air Martinique) with flights to its headquarters base at the Fort-de-France airport on Martinique from Pointe-a-Pitre, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Vincent and Union Island operated with ATR 42 and Dornier 228 turboprop aircraft.[5] In 1998, Air Martinique was operating Boeing 737-200 jet service to Miami.[6]

In July 2000, Air Martinique was merged with Air Guadeloupe, Air St Barthélémy and Air St Martin to form Air Caraïbes.[7]

Destinations served in 1997

Air Martinique ATR 42-300 at George F. L. Charles Airport in 1997

Fleet

Air Martinique Sud Aviation Caravelle at Barbados Airport in 1980

Air Martinique operated the following aircraft types at various times during its existence:[8][9]

Air Martinique fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
ATR 42-300 4 1987 1999
ATR 42-500 1 1998 2000 Leased from Air Guadeloupe
Beechcraft Model 99 1 1983 1988
Boeing 737-200 1 1998 2000 Operated by Air Guadeloupe[6]
Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander 4 1974 1986
Britten-Norman Trislander 1 1975 1982
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 3 1981 1989
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 2 1974 1983
Dornier 228 3 1988 1999
Fokker F27 Friendship 2 1980 1981
Fairchild Hiller FH-227 1 1993 1993
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 1 1992 1993 Leased from Equator Leasing
Sud Aviation Caravelle 2 1980 1981

See also

References

  1. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 31 March 1984. [1].
  2. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 17–23 March 1999. 43. "Aéroport du Lamentin, Fort de France, 97232, Martinique"
  3. ^ "Timetable valid from 1st July 1982". timetableimages.com. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  4. ^ Oct. 1, 1993 OAG Desktop Flight Guide Worldwide Edition, Paris flight schedules
  5. ^ April 2, 1995 OAG Desktop Flight Guide North American Edition, Fort de France flight schedules
  6. ^ a b https://www.airliners.net, photos of Air Martinique Boeing 737-200 aircraft at Miami International Airport
  7. ^ North American Airlines Handbook published by Airways International Inc 1997
  8. ^ "Air Martinique". Aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ^ "Air Martinique Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved September 19, 2023.