Seaborne Airlines, which services Dominica and other countries across the region, is being sold.
A report on bvinews.com said that company is being sold to United States-based airline Silver Airways.
The online news portal said Seaborne is being sold because of financial strain caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Dominica and many other countries serviced by Seaborne were affected by the two category 5 hurricanes.
“While the company’s business has enjoyed a remarkable recovery since the 2017 hurricanes, the financial stress caused during the recovery period coupled with legacy liabilities have made it necessary to seek reorganization protection,” bvinews.com quoted Acting CEO of Seaborne Airlines, Ben Munson, as saying.
The airline’s day-to-day operations will ‘continue as normal’ and will not be disrupted by the sale and it will also maintain its ‘codeshare’ partnerships that facilitate easy connections with other partner airlines.
Seaborne made its inaugural flight to Dominica on April 1, 2013. It replaced American Eagle which had earlier announced it was pulling out of Dominica and a number of other Caribbean destinations.
What goes around comes around they want to
Put de blame on Ericka now Maria who owns this Airline
GOD SO DOH LIKE UGLY these people who wears
Jacket and tie needs to repent on behalf of Dominica ??
Or else Fire ?Burn Them
Having flown the most expensive airline it’s not surprising. The Seaborne Airlines cooperate headquarters was once located in the VIRGINISLAND , that market was completely closed to Virgin Islanders. It is cheaper to fly to the US mainland than to fly to anyone of the island.. it’s unfortunate, because Seaborne Airlines isn’t a good cooperation.
I will miss Seaborne. The mere though of having to deal with LIAT makes me sick.
Fake Doctor you are right on the money,this is the gospel truth. Skerit has done more damage to Dominica than Maria,Ericka combined. What a waste.
With the way things are in Dominica, it will not be long before we here Seaborne Airlines, Liat, and Winair all pull out of Dominica not because of Maria but because of Skerrit’. Dominica is not attractive to anyone whether DIASPORAS OR Foreigners. Every body packing because Skerrit has people HOPE- LESS! Before Skerrit Dominica was known as the “nature island of the Caribbean” but thanks to Skerrit we are now officially known and recognized as the Disaster island of the Caribbean. By disaster island I am not only referring to Erika and Maria but the man made disasters of Skerrit’.
I’ll take the title of being a fake Dr. Rather than a high school drop off! Under the circumstances the fake Doctor has brilliantly placed Dominica on the map. If you don’t stop drinking HATER AID you gonna choke on it.
Oh he has put Dominica on the map alright: Francesco Corallo, Alireza Monfared, Alison Madueke….need I go on?
As goes Ross so goes Seaborne. Ross brought Seaborne and now Ross is gone expect Seaborne to follow soon. I flew on Seaborne last week from Da to PR and there were only five of us. I thought that was bad but their staff told me there were times during the Christmas season they only had one passenger and sometimes 3 or 4.. So it was just a matter of time and soon they will run from hurricane Skerrit
So if we cannot fill a small SAAB aircraft, how do we plan to fill a B737 flying into Dominica. Just another case for not building an international airport.
@zandoli, please listen to the Abolaw or Tatacou. Dominica needed an international airport during the days of DFP an up to the death of Pierre Charles. However, under Skerrit, building an international airport would be the worse crime to ever happen to Dominica because Skerrit killed everything damn thing that would keep the engine of Dominica rolling. Our future is so damn dark that I believe just as he closed the Marigot hospital he should also close the Melville hall airport and open the Cainefield port so people like Monfared and others could land their private jets. These are the only persons Dominica can attract these days under Skerrit. All we need is a little strip so those passport people could come in or go out
I have always believed that the Canefield Airport should never close and that it should upgrade with lights for night landing like before. The hurricane affected it but its running ok.
Simple, at election time you charter such a plane to Melville Hall and fill it with Dominicans who will vote for you in return for a free ticket and some pocket money.
I tell allu everybody leave D/ca all u think is joke, Da not a country again eno, just a island with some ppl living on it
Back in the days of the DFP and UWP, LIAT use to come in with 3 and 4 passeangers and sometimes leave with the same amount. We in Dominica continue to fool ourselves, Dominica was never a popular destination it is not a place people like to visit. Even in this modern age some of our Caribbean brothers and sisters know nothing about Dominica, too many of them still ask where is Dominica. So blaming Skeritt for people leaving and visitors not coming to Dominica is political rubish. If anyone is to blame it is the people who travel overseas and bad talk Dominica day in and day out putting the country in a negative light.
Labour rule Dominica for a verrryyy looonnnnggg TTIIIMMEEEE, freedom get a little freeup and uwp get a tiny stay. So whose fault is it?
Although the article does not say anything about a continuation of its service to Dominica through its new owners I fear that we will not see Siver Airways operating this route. It would be very nice to have a direct connection between Dominica and Ft. lauderdale, Siver Airways main hub. However passenger numbers may not warrant this because of the loss of Ross, All Saints but also normal tourist traffi caused by hurricane Maria. This is amplified by the airline’s decision to replace its smaller and ageing SAAB aircraft (as operated by Seabourne) with new ATR planes that require bigger payloads.
To think any airline would consider servicing Dominica is a pipe dream. Everybody is clamoring for an international airport. What they don’t tel you is that the other more populous island that get direct service often have to pay the airlines to serve those destinations. Imagine St. Lucia that has 2.5 times our population and many times more hotel rooms than we do paying American Airlines to service that destination. How much do you imagine we would have to pay for less than full planes?
Direct flights are always nice, but unless you are travelling between major cities, connections is the order of the day. The key is to get short connections. Once you get that, not having an international airport will not hamper you.
Thank you for this comment, this may fly over many people head but this should be on billboards across Dominica.
I myself have made previous such a comment, but for some reason some believe an international airport is the end all be all quick fix to our economic woes. It’s not, in fact it’s a white elephant liability. Ask St Vincentians if they like the 20% VAT- that’ll help the business sector thive. Post Maria what is needed is a modern port which is both efficient and cost effective, to reduce the cost of unloading a container and it’s time spent on the port by half. Mind u, Dominicas port was the worse in the OECS since god knows when, and we’re just been lagging further behind. A bigger port would also enable us to have 3-4 cruise ships at bay at a time boostin tourism. Let’s face it, 90%+ of our tourism is cruise ship based.
Sorry Seaborne. Quite liked your service.
“…the airline’s day to day operations will continue as normal…”. Now, I wonder what that means? As an eternal optimist where my country is concerned, I do hope that it means that we will “see Silver Airways operating this route”.
Ms. Saunders the fact is that Seabourne airlines filed for bankruptcy under chapter 11 this past Monday 8 Jan.
Today I see only one flight listed, the early morning 3500 from San Juan to St. Thomas. I doubt Silver Airways wil have a need to continue the Puerto Rico Seabourne base once the take over is complete.
Thanks for the information Malatete.
I still hope that Seaborne will continue flying to Dominica. I would hate for a negative wish from me for my country to become a self-fulfilling prophecy, so I will continue to hope and pray for the positive.
Correction: I meant to say Silver Airways of course.