Caribbean Airlines leases new jet to increase operational capacity

Photo: Caribbean Airlines’ leased Boeing 737-800NG moments before landing at Piarco Int’l. Photo courtesy Jabari Mayers.

Brent Pinheiro
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Caribbean Airlines (CAL) is leasing another Boeing jet to boost its operational capacity. The 14.9-year-old Boeing 737-800NG, operating as BW7000, arrived at Piarco International Airport just after 11 AM on Saturday morning. Guardian Media understands the aircraft will be painted in Caribbean Airlines colours in Trinidad and registered as 9Y-TTL before entering commercial service.

The aircraft, previously registered as M-ABPP, will now be listed as 9Y-TTL.

Photo: The all-white Boeing 737-800NG registered as M-ABPP. The aircraft will be registered as 9Y-TTL.

This will be CAL’s 10th Boeing aircraft in its fleet, joining the nine Boeing 737-8 aircraft currently in operation. However, unlike the 737-8s, this new addition is outfitted with 189 economy seats and does not feature a business-class cabin. Regarding the airline’s plans for this aircraft, Caribbean Airlines Corporate Communications Executive Manager Dionne Ligoure stated it “will be placed into service later this year to add capacity to operations.”

This is not a new aircraft type for Caribbean Airlines. For years, the carrier operated a fleet of Boeing 737-800NGs alongside its ATR 72-600 fleet. In 2018, CAL announced plans to renew its jet fleet, opting for the newer Boeing 737-8 as a replacement. The airline is expected to receive three more 737-8s to complement the current nine; however, due to production delays at Boeing, CAL will use this leased aircraft as a stopgap. Caribbean Airlines has not yet indicated which routes the aircraft will serve.