Caribbean Sun Airlines
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | September 1, 2002 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States |
| Headquarters | Virginia Gardens , United States |
Area served | United States, Cuba, Caribbean region |
Key people | Tomas Romero (owner) |
| Products | Scheduled and on-demand charter flight services |
| Website | www |
Caribbean Sun Airlines Inc., operating under the name World Atlantic Airlines, is an American carrier providing both scheduled and on-demand charter flight services. Its corporate headquarters are located in Virginia Gardens, Florida.
History
Established in September 2002 as Caribbean Sun Airlines in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the company launched its operations in January 2003, initially flying Bombardier Dash 8 Q100 aircraft between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Tortola. It collaborated closely with its affiliate, Caribbean Star Airlines, under the ownership of the Stanford Financial Group, to facilitate air travel connections within the Caribbean region.
The airline halted operations in January 2007. Efforts to revive the business as Merengue Airlines Dominicana were unsuccessful, resulting in its acquisition by Tomas Romero, who rebranded it as World Atlantic Airlines. The airline subsequently concentrated solely on ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) charter services.
World Atlantic provided charter flights for Direct Air until that company declared bankruptcy in 2012. Following this, the U.S. Department of Transportation imposed fines on World Atlantic for regulatory infractions associated with these operations. Beginning in 2013, the airline has operated charter flights supporting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation program, including transportation of detainees to Westchester, New York.
In April 2013, World Atlantic facilitated travel for Venezuelan voters by flying them from Miami to New Orleans ahead of the Venezuelan presidential election.
By September 2017, World Atlantic had established a partnership with Venezuelan airline Avior Airlines, conducting ACMI charter flights to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. This followed earlier collaborations with LASER Airlines.
In April 2025, several aircraft were temporarily impounded due to a $1.8 million court ruling against the airline. This action briefly impacted operational capacity before all planes were returned.
Destinations
As of March 2025, World Atlantic Airlines operates scheduled services to the following domestic and international locations:
Current fleet
As of April 2025, the World Atlantic Airlines fleet includes:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passenger Configuration | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Y | Total | ||||
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 3 | – | 12 | 134 | 146 | Acquired from American Airlines |
| 8 | 144 | 152 | ||||
| 8 | 147 | 155 | ||||
Former fleet
Previously operated aircraft by World Atlantic Airlines include:
| Aircraft Type | Quantity | Entry into Service | Retirement Year | Successor Model | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 | 12 | 2003 | 2007 | McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 1 | 2011 | 2019 | ||
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | 2024 | 2025 | Operated under wet lease. |
Accidents and incidents
- On April 20, 2018, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft (N807WA) suffered a collapse of the right main landing gear upon landing at Alexandria International Airport (Louisiana), which resulted in a friction fire. This flight was operated on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement originating from Chicago-O'Hare. Although all 101 passengers escaped injury, the plane was ultimately declared a total loss due to the extent of the damage.
- On July 10, 2024, Flight WAL101, an MD-83 (N804WA), issued a MAYDAY call following a failure of the right engine shortly after departing from El Paso International Airport. The aircraft managed to return safely, but the engine ignited during the landing sequence.