Officials at Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun airlines are hoping a former cargo handler who rose to overseeing rapid growth at Atlantic Southeast Airlines can do the same for them.
William E. “Skip” Barnette next month becomes president and CEO of Caribbean Star Airlines Limited and Caribbean Sun Airlines.
Under his leadership, Atlantic Southeast Airlines grew from a company of less than 3,000 employees and 17 regional jets to a business with 5,800 employees and a modern fleet of 139 airplanes.
Among his other accomplishments: raising the airline’s on-time arrivals from 50 to 80%.
Mr Barnette, who had many management positions, also was a leading figure for the airline when it launched its entry into the low-cost market, Delta Express.
Caribbean Star Airlines Inc. and its sister airline, Caribbean Sun Airlines Inc. together serve 17 Caribbean destinations. The airlines transport about 80,000 passengers a month throughout the region.
The two companies operate independently.
Report by David Wilkening
