Français
Air Antilles now has only a provisional operating license. This is valid until June 30. This decision was made public by a decree issued on April 3 by the French Ministry of Regional Planning and Decentralization and published in the Journal Officiel on April 6. This order amends the one published on May 24, 2024, which granted the airline a permanent operating license. It follows a letter from the French Civil Aviation Authority (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile).
The main reason for this change in the Air Antilles "dossier" is its financial situation, which is as uncertain as it is shaky. Since the partial takeover of the company by the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Martin and Cipim (the holding company of Edeis) at the end of 2023, the Collectivité has injected nearly 18 million euros into the company. These funds are proving insufficient to sustain the company's activity, despite an additional contribution from Cipim. In March, Jérôme Arnaud, Chairman of the company's Board of Directors, called for a contribution from the Guadeloupe and Martinique local authorities, as well as government intervention to promote interline agreements with one of the airlines operating transatlantic flights.
Contacted on Tuesday morning for further details, Jérôme Arnaud has not yet responded to JSB's requests.
