On March 21, 3 planes lent to Caribbean Sun Airlines were taken back by their lessors at Blue Diamond General Investments. This action follows a court order from the circuit court in Florida. The 3 planes are seized at Miami International Airport.
The Ongoing Year-Long Court Case
This seizure is part of the decision of a court case filed a year ago by the investors. From a spoken agreement, the investor company, while lending 3 aircraft to the airline, would get compensation for each flight operated with those aircraft.
The agreement was between Blue Diamond General Investments and Miami-Dade-based Caribbean Sun Airlines. The leased aircraft operates under the name World Atlantic Airlines.
The complaint from the investment company follows World Atlantic Airlines’ inability to pay the compensation from passenger flights operated with the aircraft.
Aircraft Seized Until Debt is Repaid
With attempts to solve this dispute through a payment schedule, the airline now owes the investment firm over USD 1.8M (£1.43M).
On 21 March 2025, this year-long court case finally comes to a court decision: the court ordered a prejudgment writ of attachment and garnishment. This allows the investment company to take the planes back from the airline until they repay their debt.
The 3 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft in the lease are now being held at the Miami International Airport by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s office.
The 3 planes seized in Miami for now will not be flying again until the debt is repaid to the investment company.
While not all airlines in financial emergencies come to a similar situation as World Atlantic Airlines, the reason for the airline’s inability to repay its debt is still unknown. We will follow this story as it unfolds.
What do you think about this case? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
