Caribbean Airlines now offering chartered cargo flights

Lockdown measures have pushed some companies to modify their operational arrangements, and Caribbean Airlines has been the latest to do so, with the introduction of a chartered cargo service.
Recognising that some countries within the Region were suffering from shortages, the carrier indicated via a statement that this service would sustain a constant supply of goods within the Caribbean zone.
It went on to say that there has been a noteworthy demand for cargo lifts in several Caribbean countries that have been affected by the limited operation at their ports and the closure of borders to passenger traffic. This is all in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to sweep through the Region.
The Caribbean Airlines cargo service will utilise the airline’s fleet of Boeing 737-800 and ATR-72 aircraft. These can carry up to 18,000 pounds of essential goods to and from Antigua, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Nassau, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and other destinations.
These chartered flights will be subjected to the regulatory requirements outlined by each jurisdiction and airport to which they operate.
Caribbean Airlines Cargo General Manager Marklan Moseley stated, “In these unprecedented times, our cargo operations are crucial to securing the urgent supply of essential goods within the Caribbean. We will continue to adapt our business in order to meet the evolving needs of our valued customers.”
Meanwhile, the airline noted that it would continue to operate its scheduled 767 freighter flights, offering up to 120,000 pounds of cargo capacity to and from Miami.
Even with opened airports, major carriers have opted to cease operations from popular destinations until the virus is contained. One of the first to do so was American Airlines, which announced since March that it would be suspending flights to several locations across the world, including Guyana, in a bid to slow down the rapid spread of the virus.
A few days later, Caribbean Airlines announced a suspension of international fights after the Government of Trinidad and Tobago closed its borders and stopped external flights.
In an issued statement, the airline stated that domestic flights would continue. It went on to say that customers holding tickets for international service beyond March 23, 2020, could hold them for future travel.
Headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, the carrier provides its services across the Region, in particular linking Caribbean States and North America. Prior to its closure of certain services, the airline had implemented a number of measures in preparation.