Less than two months after Air Jamaica, operated by Trinidadian-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL), resumed flights from the Miami International Airport (MIA) to Jamaica on December 5, Caribbean airlines has announced that they will again be suspended effective February 1.

Kay Chong, Air Jamaica/Caribbean Airlines representative in South Florida confirmed the suspension of the service. She informed the National Weekly that the airline confirmed that the suspension of the Miami/Jamaica route was an operational adjustment, to maximize the route's future effectiveness and viability.

Staffers at the Miami International Airport however said they were not surprised by the cancellation, as the passenger load remained "extremely poor" since the service resumed in December.

Prior to February 2009, Miami International was a primary gateway for Air Jamaica and a tremendous convenience for passengers and business people flying from and into Florida from Jamaica. Miami was also one of the original North American gateways for the airline since 1979. However, as the demographic of Jamaicans in South Florida shifted from Miami-Dade County to Broward County in the 1990s, and as the airline launched flights from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to and from Jamaica, the passenger traffic from MIA declined.

When Miami flights were closed in January 2009, former Air Jamaica CEO Bruce Nobles said a continued low passenger count, unsustainable losses and strong competition from other airlines were the major issues influencing the airline's decision to close the route. Business results for the 5-year period of 2003 to 2008 showed a 51 percent decrease in the number of passengers carried through the Miami gateway, compared to a 52 percent increase in the number of travelers through the Fort Lauderdale airport.

With news of the Air Jamaica renewing their Miami/Jamaica flights, many expected the route would be successful, welcomed by Miami-Dade residents and Jamaican business people who have travelled the long distance to and from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport.

However, the passenger traffic did not build up as expected. According to Miami travel consultant, Larry Barriefe, the marketing for the resumed route was very weak, and passengers were still booking flights out of Fort Lauderdale to Jamaica, "as they had no information about the new Miami gateway."

Karl Newsome, a produce trader who flies often between Miami and Kingston, said he wasn't aware that Air Jamaica was again flying out of Miami until "early January, this year."

When the Miami service resumed in December, CAL announced non-stop service to and from Jamaica on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays continuing to January, 7, 2012, then from January 9 to January 30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Plans were then to introduce a daily service starting February 1.

Passengers who were booked on future flights on the now cancelled route have the option to be rebooked on Air Jamaica flights in and out of the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, or if such an option is unacceptable, they will be able to request a refund of the airfare, plus taxes, that were originally paid.