PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – (July 11, 2013) – Sunrise Airways (IATA: S6), a new start-up airline based in Port-au-Prince, recently opened a dedicated Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility located at Cibao International Airport (STI) in Santiago, Dominican Republic, becoming the only Haitian airline with its own, in-house maintenance capabilities.
Measuring 8,000 square-feet in size, the facility has the capacity to store three of the carrier’s flagship 19-seat Jetstream 32 EP aircraft. More than 2,200 line items of Jetstream 32 parts are stored between the Sunrise MRO in Santiago and its headquarters in Port-au-Prince, minimizing controllable service disruptions.
“In order for us to grow and achieve our goal of uniting the Western Caribbean with improved regional air service, having our own maintenance facility is a must,” said Philippe Bayard, President of Sunrise Airways. “Our Santiago facility is convenient to our base of operations in Port-au-Prince and carries all the necessary approvals from the Office National de l'Aviation Civile (OFNAC), giving us a solid foundation upon which to build our network.”
Sunrise currently serves domestic routes within Haiti operating 19-seat Jetstream 32 EP aircraft manufactured by BAE Systems. The carrier plans to expand its route network in 2013, launching new service to Kingston, Jamaica and Providenciales, Turks & Caicos as first steps toward establishing a hub in Port-au-Prince to better serve air travel needs within the Western Caribbean.
About Sunrise Airways (www.SunriseAirways.net)
Sunrise Airways (IATA: S6) is a new Haitian owned commercial airline launched in November 2012 that aims to establish a hub in Port-au-Prince to better serve air travel needs within the Western Caribbean. The airline currently operates daily scheduled passenger service within Haiti, as well as charter service to various gateways throughout the Western Caribbean. New service to Havana and Santiago in Cuba, Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos, and Kingston, Jamaica are planned for 2013. The Sunrise Airways fleet is comprised of four (4) Jetstream 32 EP aircraft offering the comfort of leather seating and ample in-cabin cargo room for a maximum capacity of 19 passengers. Headquartered in Port-au-Prince with a dedicated maintenance facility in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Sunrise Airways is owned by noted Haitian businessman and philanthropist, Philippe Bayard. Members of the airline’s leadership team average more than 15 years of aviation experience with such well-known industry brands as Aerocaribbean, Air Jamaica, BAE Systems, Condor Airlines, Jamaica Air Shuttle, and LAN Airlines.
