~Court Orders Immediate Liquidation, Ending Regional Airline’s Turbulent Final Chapter~
POINTE-À-PITRE, Guadeloupe:--- Air Antilles, once a key carrier linking islands across the Caribbean, has been ordered into judicial liquidation, bringing an abrupt end to the airline’s operations and leaving 116 employees facing immediate uncertainty.
The ruling was handed down Monday by the Mixed Commercial Court of Pointe-à-Pitre, which rejected all takeover bids after concluding none offered a credible or financially secure path forward.
The decision closes a dramatic and closely watched rescue process that began when the airline entered court-supervised restructuring earlier this year.
Last Rescue Bid Fails
The final remaining proposal to continue Air Antilles’ flight operations came from businessman Pierre Sainte-Luce, whose company sought to acquire the assets needed to relaunch the airline under the brand Air Kalinago.
His offer totaled €200,874 and included the immediate rehiring of just 13 employees, with promises of further recruitment if operations resumed successfully.
Judges acknowledged the bid presented “a structured industrial project,” but said it faced insurmountable legal and financial barriers.
Among the concerns were:
• €6 million in promised capital is still dependent on regulatory approvals
• Banking support not yet secured
• Uncertainty over obtaining an air operator certificate from the French aviation authorities
• Reliance on outside partners themselves is facing financial strain
• Overly optimistic assumptions about fuel prices and market recovery
Bigger Offer Withdrawn
Another proposal, from London-based Karaïbes Eco Rayonnance Consulting Ltd (KERC), had pledged €3 million and the retention of 104 jobs.
But the company withdrew during proceedings after failing to prove that a reported €90 million Turkish financing package was immediately available and transferable in euros.
Jobs Lost, Flights Halted
With no viable buyer accepted, the court ordered an immediate cessation of activity.
The airline’s administrator will now oversee shutdown procedures, while a judicial liquidator begins verifying debts and ranking creditors.
For staff, unions, and travelers across the French Caribbean, the ruling lands as a devastating blow.
End of a Regional Lifeline
Air Antilles had long served routes connecting Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, Dominica, Saint Lucia, and other nearby destinations — often providing essential regional links where ferry travel was slow or impractical.
Its collapse raises fresh concerns about:
• Reduced inter-island connectivity
• Higher fares from remaining carriers
• Job losses across the aviation and tourism sectors
• Reduced competition in the regional market
Another Asset Also Liquidated
The court also liquidated R Plane 9, owner of an ATR 42-600 aircraft linked to the Air Antilles fleet. Separate offers to acquire that entity were rejected because of legal and technical complications involving the aircraft.
Final Boarding Call
For passengers and workers alike, Monday’s ruling marks the final chapter of a carrier whose story became increasingly chaotic in recent years.
Air Antilles has now made its last landing.