Air St. Thomas
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Predecessor | Virgin Air (1970–1984) |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Defunct | December 2005 |
| Headquarters | St. Thomas , United States Virgin Islands |
Area served | Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and British Virgin Islands) |
Key people | Paul Wikander (51% owner), M. Wikander (49% owner) |
| Products | Scheduled and charter passenger flights |
Air St. Thomas was an airline headquartered on St. Thomas within the United States Virgin Islands. Established in 1975, it provided scheduled and charter passenger flights primarily operating out of its central hub at Cyril E. King Airport, St. Thomas. The airline maintained a modest fleet catering to short-distance regional travel, serving destinations such as Culebra, Fajardo, San Juan, and Virgin Gorda. In March 2004, it faced a ban from French airports and was subsequently blacklisted, leading to the termination of its services by December 2005.
Code data
History
Originally launched in 1970 under the name Virgin Air, the airline rebranded to Air St. Thomas in 1984. During the 1970s through the 1990s, it operated amidst competition from regional airlines including Prinair, Aero Virgin Islands, and Vieques Air Link. Initially, Air St. Thomas concentrated on intra-island routes due to the competitive market environment.
Following the exit of rivals such as Prinair (active between 1966 and 1984) and Aero Virgin Islands (which ceased operations around 2000), Air St. Thomas broadened its service network to cover more airports in Puerto Rico as well as additional Caribbean locations. The expansion into the British Virgin Islands marked its transition into an international airline. Ownership was split between Paul Wikander holding 51% and M. Wikander owning 49%.
A significant competitor was American Eagle Airlines, which functioned as a code-share affiliate of American Airlines via its base at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU); however, these services have since been discontinued in this area.
Destinations
As of January 2005, Air St. Thomas operated routes to Culebra, Fajardo, San Juan, and Virgin Gorda. Up until 2004, its main service connected St. Thomas with St. Barthélemy in the French West Indies.
Fleet
- Britten-Norman Trislander
- 2 Cessna 402
- 5 Piper Aztec
- 2 Piper Apache
- 4 Beech 18 (2 configured for cargo, 2 for passengers)
- 2 Douglas DC-3 dedicated to cargo operations