The popularity of the Eastern Caribbean in the UK is fuelling the expansion of an island-hopping air taxi service as larger airlines in the region struggle.
Three out of five passengers aboard the services of Carib Aviation and Grenadine Airways are from the UK, according to owner and managing director Bruce Kaufman.
Speaking at World Travel Market on Monday he said expects to carry more than 70,000 this year aboard a fleet of 22 aircraft, and is looking to buy more.
The group includes the merged services of Trans Island Air, SVG Air and Mustique Airways, plus a Dominica Air Taxi service established four months ago between Antigua, Dominica and St Lucia.
The expansion comes as established names such as BWIA disappear from view. It is all the more remarkable because Kaufman, the former owner of an electronics business, had not worked in aviation before retiring to the Caribbean and buying the assets of the failing Barbados-based Trans Island Air in 2000.
He said: “The only experience I had of flying was sleeping on long-haul flights. I was living in Barbados and my wife requested I get out of the house. Trans Island Air was about to go broke and I bought the assets.”
Eight months later Kaufman set up Carib Aviation and in 2004 established the services of Grenadine Airways. “Now I’m out of the house all the time,” he said.
The UK provides 60% of his business, the US 20% and inter-island traffic the remainder.
Dominica Air Taxi operates 44 flights a week, connecting with services into Antigua from the UK and US. Seats are bookable online, but Kaufman said 60% of sales still come through the trade.