Caribair (Puerto Rico)
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| Commenced operations | February 1939 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1973 |
| Operating bases | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport |
| Fleet size | See Historical fleet below |
| Destinations | See Destinations below |
| Headquarters | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Caribair was an international airline that was based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1970, the air carrier was serving sixteen destinations on fourteen islands in the Caribbean region as well as Miami, which was the airline's only destination on the U.S. mainland. The cover of its April, 1970 system timetable proclaimed "Only Caribair Goes All The Way" which reflected its direct, no change of plane McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jet service operated via a number of intermediate stops including San Juan between Miami and Port of Spain, Trinidad located at the southern end of the Caribbean island chain off the coast of South America. Caribair was also the first Puerto Rican-based airline to operate jet aircraft on scheduled passenger services. The air carrier was acquired by Eastern Air Lines in 1973.
The Powelson Line began operating in February 1939 as Caribbean Atlantic Airlines and later as Caribair on July 20, 1948 by authorization of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). The air carrier was initially a subsidiary of Florida based National Airlines, with this status later being revoked by the CAB. The airline's first timetable was published on May 15, 1945. At the beginning, Caribbean Atlantic Airlines served Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. In 1946 the operation previously controlled by stateside investors was bought by a group of Puerto Ricans under the leadership of the Trigo brothers who were San Juan import exporters.
The Caribair service was popular both with local residents and tourists alike traveling between Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. By 1950, the airline's name had officially changed to Caribair and services to the Dominican Republic were initiated. Caribair continued to expand during the 1950s and 1960s, and by 1962, the international airline was serving a number of destinations including San Juan, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. Maarten. Destinations in Puerto Rico served from San Juan included Mayaguez and Ponce.
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