Caribbean Sun cleared for take-off. Mary Kirby, Washington DC Air Transport Intelligence US startup Caribbean Sun Airlines has received the green light to launch service to a number of Caribbean destinations. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) yesterday awarded the Florida-based carrier a certificate of public convenience and necessity covering services from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Antigua and Barbuda; St Maarten; Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; and St Kitts and Nevis. Caribbean Sun, a sister to Antigua-based Caribbean Star Airlines, plans to launch scheduled services in December using Bombardier Dash 8 turboprops. It will connect with Caribbean Star and provide one-stops throughout the region. Under the DOT’s ruling, Caribbean Sun can upgrade to 60-seat regional jets. The creation of Caribbean Sun enables owner Allen Stanford to bypass the US FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment program's Category 2 restrictions imposed on the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), which prohibit expansion of Caribbean Star flights from Antigua to the USA. It also enables Stanford’s operation to better compete against American Eagle Airlines, the dominant carrier in the region. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news. _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail