JetAir, United Caribbean Airlines Declare Bankruptcy

DALLAS — JetAir Caribbean B.V. (4J) and United Caribbean Airlines B.V., owners of the “JetAir” brand, declared bankruptcy today, June 18, 2024, at the First Instance of Curaçao court. 

After consulting with the board, the trustees decided to cease all operations, cancel all flights, and ground 4J's fleet as of today. As a result of bankruptcy, all the debts are frozen, and no refunds can be issued now. Passengers can not rebook their flights with 4J or with any other airline.

As there is no time for the duration of bankruptcy, the trustees will investigate JetAir's assets and explore a potential restart of the company, focusing on its employees, passengers, and other creditors or stakeholders.

As for customers who had booked flights, the 4J release mentions they have the rights "as a consumer/creditor in this situation" established in the Curaçao Bankruptcy Law. The defunct airline directs its customers to submit their "claim for verification to the trustees by sending an email to creditors.jetair@hbnlawtax.com."

JetAir was a small airline founded in 2006 and based in Willemstad Curaçao Hato International Airport (CUR). The airline obtained its commercial AOC in November 2019 and operated charters and regular flights with two Fokker 70s in its fleet, just months before the pandemic took hold of the industry.

Aviaciononline.com cites Expreso Curaçao as reporting that 4J had "accumulated losses of 2 million Aruban florins" (US$1.1 million), "during the first quarter of 2024."