Winair (WM, St. Maarten) has launched studies into the acquisition of aircraft that are both “larger” and “faster” than its existing fleet of De Havilland Canada Twin Otters and Avions de Transport Régional turboprops wet-leased from Air Antilles.
According to The Daily Herald newspaper, the prospective aircraft would be used to more effectively ply the Caribbean carrier’s longer routes. As such, the proposal will be presented to its shareholder – the St. Maarten government – once ready.
Winair currently operates four DHC-6-300s that average almost 38 years of age alongside one wet-leased ATR42-500 on islandhopper flights that connect St. Maarten with Antigua, Aruba, St Kitts & Nevis, Bonaire, Curacao, Haiti, Sint Eustatius & Saba, Saint Barthélemy, the British Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic.
For its 2018 financial year, Winair said it posted a profit of USD850,000 in contrast to 2017 when it incurred heavy losses mainly due to the impact of Hurricane Irma. (https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/81189-st-maartens-winair-studying-larger-aircraft)
