Caribbean Air Service / CASAIR
Operator Identification
1962 to present
United States of America
TYPE: Airline
IATA/ICAO CODES: KT / ---
HEADQUARTERS: St Croix, USVI & San Juan, PR
OTHER NAMES: Virgin Island Airways (1962-1968), Caribbean Air Service (1968-1974), CASAIR (1974-1980), Bohlke International Airways (since 1984)
SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil
Operator History
Virgin Island Airways was founded by Bill Bohlke Sr in 1962 in St Croix, US Virgin Islands. It initially operated Commandos on cargo charters throughout the Caribbean.
In 1968, the company relocated to San Juan, PR and became Caribbean Air Service. This name change reflected the fact that the company had become a scheduled commuter airline with exemption to operate large aircraft from points in the US Virgin Islands to San Juan, PR, St Lucia, St Kitts and Antigua in the British West Indies, St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles and Guadeloupe, French West Indies. However, its main business was the San Juan to Miami route. The fleet was centered around Douglas DC3s and Commandos. In 1974, the company shortened its name to CASAIR.
In mid-1980, CASAIR ran into financial difficulties and apparently went out of business. Later, in 1984, it was reformed by William Bohlke Jr as Bohlke International Airways, operating out of St Croix, USVI again. Bohlke is still in business today as a FAR135 charter operator, FAR145 repair station and FBO.
Commando Operations
December 1971* to August 1982*
Last edited: 14/03/2024