CAL Flights Max Out: Ferry Repairs Create Airbridge Travel Crisis

December 30, 2025 at 09:10 PM•3 min read

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) domestic flights between Trinidad and Tobago are at maximum capacity after the TT Spirit ferry was withdrawn for urgent mechanical repairs, straining

Key Points

1Caribbean Airlines (CAL) domestic flights are at maximum capacity following the withdrawal of the TT Spirit ferry for urgent mechanical repairs on December 29.
2The airbridge strain is worsened by the APT James vessel also remaining out of service, leaving only the Buccoo Reef and Galleons Passage to handle all ferry traffic.
3CAL has prioritized confirmed ticket holders, severely limiting standby seating availability during the high-demand period.
4The Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Company Ltd (TTIT) implemented revised schedules and is reassigning cancelled ferry tickets to the two operational vessels.

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has confirmed that its domestic flights operating between Trinidad and Tobago are running at maximum capacity. This surge in demand and operational strain follows a major disruption to the inter-island ferry service, known as the airbridge. The airline issued a warning that only passengers with confirmed tickets will be guaranteed travel.

Standby seating is now extremely limited. The airline noted in a media release on December 30 that standby passengers will only be accepted “where space becomes available.” This is subject to operational constraints, making availability particularly scarce during this high-demand period.

Ferry Service Disruption

The pressure on Caribbean Airlines domestic flights is a direct result of the suspension of all sailings for the TT Spirit vessel. The Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Company Ltd (TTIT) announced on December 29 that the vessel was withdrawn for urgent mechanical repairs.

Compounding the issue, the APT James ferry also remains out of operation. This leaves only two vessels, the Buccoo Reef and the Galleons Passage, to manage the entire passenger and vehicular load.

TTIT implemented revised sailing schedules on December 29 and 30 to accommodate affected passengers. Travellers holding tickets for cancelled sailings were reassigned to the two operational ferries.

Operational Impact on the Airbridge

CAL’s operational teams are actively assessing feasible options to mitigate the impact of the TT Spirit mechanical repairs. However, the airline has insisted that priority must be given to confirmed ticket holders.

The domestic airbridge is a critical link for both business and leisure travel in the twin-island nation. The sudden loss of two major ferry services places an unprecedented strain on the aviation sector to absorb the overflow.

CAL Fleet: Caribbean Airlines typically utilizes its ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft for these shorter, domestic routes.
Passenger Accommodation: The Buccoo Reef operated additional sailings on December 29 and 30 to absorb passengers from the cancelled TT Spirit and APT James sailings.
Refunds: TTIT advised that passengers can submit refund requests for fare differences, especially as Premium Class seating is not available on all substitute vessels.

This situation highlights the vulnerability of inter-island travel strain when primary transport links face simultaneous mechanical failures. Aviation stakeholders are monitoring the situation closely for updates from both Caribbean Airlines and the TTIT. For more commercial aviation news, visit flying.flights. Passengers are urged to check the TTIT website for the latest ferry schedule changes, as sailing times remain subject to change without notice.