CEO, Managing Director and Operations Manager (Caicos Express Airways)

Being a British Overseas Territory with an independent Government, Turks and Caicos Islands have a somewhat unique position in the Caribbean. Its GDP per capita of almost 24.000 USD is among the highest in the Caribbean. But there are many countries in the region that compete in similar sectors; tourism, real estate, financial services… Which do you think are the main advantages that set Turks and Caicos apart from the rest of the Caribbean countries?

RA: Turks and Caicos is a good central spot for most travelers who are interested in moving throughout the Caribbean, it is a good destination hub due to its geographical position. 

SM: Our beaches are the best in the world and the islands are still developing, which allows travelers to experience something different. Ecofriendly tourism also set Turks and Caicos apart; whale watching, bird watching and the third largest barrier reef in the world, not to mention that we are have the lowest crime rate compared to many destinations.


Turks and Caicos was strongly hit 8 years ago by the global financial crisis and Hurricane Ike, a combination that lowered tourism sector’s revenues, which had a serious impact on the economy. However, according to the International Monetary Fund, since 2012 the country’s economy maintains a steady growth and a public debt that has reduced to around 11% of GDP. Which are the reasons behind this economic performance?

FR: The economy boost gave meaning towards our investments. Turks and Caicos was able to attract a lot of investors from all over the world wanting to develop real estate here, especially hotels. We have different islands, some of them unspoiled that now want to be developed.

RA: In 2008 the entire world had a shock, but the difference is that here we could rely on the high net worth clients in Turks and Caicos for them to hold on to their product and push everything to the market. They undertook large investments and did not run away with the crisis. This country is a good brand for investment and when that bust show up, most persons did not turn their back on their multi-million dollar investment here.


Due to the geography of the Caribbean, the aviation industry obviously plays a fundamental role for the islands. What is the situation of the aviation sector? What has been done properly and what could be improved? 

FR: Our safety over the years is due to the fact that we are dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for our passengers and employees always.  We think safety before anything else.  The Regulators of the aviation sector have been doing a very good job in ensuring we remain compliant, and none of the two airlines that fly locally have had a major incident here. Going forth in the future, our goal is to continue to improve on implementing safety measures.  We are looking forward to collaborate more with the authorities in developing more safety initiatives.


Caicos Express was founded in 2007 offering charter flights within TCI. Tourism is the engine of the country’s economy, especially the high end market. Why do two pilots decide to give the step from the cabin to build up an airline?

FR: We are pilots, but we are also bold entrepreneurs. That is why Caicos Express was created. We remained close to what we know; aviation is our field and we wanted to develop a business out of it. When you have passion, passion meets hard work, there goes success. That is why we decided to start this project.


The first business of the company when you started in 2007 was chartered flights. What has been the evolution of this market since then and what are the main challenges?

FR: It has gone up tremendously, about 50% since we started the travel business. About six years ago, the travelers did not have much choices. When we came in the market, people had options and they could choose who they want to fly with. Every time there has been more demand on the table to do charter flights.

RA: We do something very unique. We fly three Cessna 402, a very versatile plane for charter and schedule flights. Then the public asked us to schedule flights and we knew that having to start with smaller planes would be a challenge, but we figured out a way to do it attracting clients with the best prices, because there are those travelers who are price sensitive and we figure out how to bring them back to the market. We will still continue growing our charter business and also the schedule.

SM: Turks and Caicos is not so easy for aviation: the demand is not so great in a small island nation of 35,000 inhabitants and challenges such as short distances or a very high salt content that is bad for airplanes. You have to be versatile with the proper aircraft and ensure that your maintenance is top notch to ensure safe operations and that is our number one priority.

However, due to the challenges of running an airline in the country, if the government could offer more concessions the sector would improve. We do employ a lot of people, and the citizens of Turks and Caicos have working opportunities in small companies like Caicos Express. We have about fifty plus staff and we are contributing back in the economy. But the fees can be high and aviation is very expensive industry here simply because of the size of the country. If there is any way that in the future we can make concession to the airlines, I am sure it will be beneficial to keep the growth.

RA: We have the good and necessary regulation, but on the other side there are challenges that require some level of public cash injection. If the government continues to put so many taxes in place the goal becomes stagnant.

The people have spending restraints and cannot pay for everything, neither do we, so we are always going to need the government’s lift. Otherwise people will just stop traveling. The very thing that the government is hoping to tax is the very industry that it is hoping to get all this money from. We pay a lot of money for insurance, private airplanes, fuel, landing fees, etc. 
Some of these bills take us away from what we are trying to do, and it seems sometimes the authorities do not get the whole picture.

If the government can at least meet with us, we can give them a clear view of what is going on and then they can build concessions around it. We want to pay tax, what we actually do, but we want mutual respect.


The second landmark of Caicos Express was established in 2011 when you started to operate commercial flights within Turks and Caicos. Back at that time there was only one airline company and you put an end to its monopoly. How did you introduce the company in the market?

FR: Great service has been our motto from day one, it still is our motto and will continue to be our motto. Good service at good price. It is what makes Caicos Express the number one airline to travel within Turks and Caicos. We have given to the people what they have been looking for, which is great service.

We have come in the market where people did not even want to fly because the ticket was outrageously expensive and the service was extremely bad, and we introduced a rate that we make some money, and the customer save some money. The fact that we came into the market obliged the other company to lower its price too. And not only lower, but lower significantly. That is why Caicos Express is the number one choice to travel with and has grown a 70% from 2011 to now.


“Beautiful by Nature” is the slogan of the country’s brand. A large percentage of tourists are traveling with you once they are in Turks and Caicos. What is the experience that you provide to your passengers?

FR: We want to treat the client exactly the way we want to be treated when we travel. We want them to have an experience unbeknown; we want our service to be so great that it just changes your whole idea about Turks and Caicos and the brand at large.

SM: The idea of traveling frightens people. The security lines and the checks... because of all the changes that have happened in the world, nowadays the airlines are so strict that they cannot be as friendly as they once used to be. Our service is personalized, we are a small company but we make you comfortable; we want to bring the pleasure back in traveling. 

It is not every day that you are going to fly with a company where the pilot of that day is one of the owners of the company. That is a different touch that most companies cannot give you, so the experience on a whole is to satisfy the traveler; to make the trip less hassle.


Caicos Express is a national airline relatively unknown abroad. More than 80% of the visitors to TCI are coming from the US and Canada and, as you are a new operator for them, they may be reluctant to trust local airlines. How do you give confidence to the travelers to flight with Caicos Express?

FR: “Caicos Express airways; Safety First” is our slogan. Our safety record is impeccable and we take safety very seriously. We are young and we are growing, but we leave no stone unturned when it comes to safety. We have personally been flying for more than twenty years, therefore, when we tell our aviation history to the clients immediately makes them comfortable.

SM: Caicos Express is a transparent company. We help the guests to understand that we are reputable and honest airline, that we are safe, and that effort is what makes them comfortable and to jump on with this new airline and feel happy to fly with us. Most of the time after they have flown, they see it for themselves.

All our pilots are extremely well trained. Not only we train them locally, and we have contracted training centers like Flight Safety International in New York and Simcom in Orlando to ensure that they remain as on their top notch and have a reliable experience.


You have currently a contract with the Government of TCI to operate a flight from Grand Turk to South Caicos with a public subsidy. The Minister of Tourism, Hon Higgs, explained in our interview that he is determined to promote TCI as a “family islands destination”. What are your plans to connect the different islands?

FR: We already connect the major islands: Grand Turk and Providenciales, and also we do Salt Cay and South Caicos. We would like the government to assist us to do North Caicos next. If they assists us, we will be more than willing to provide airlift to all the islands that accept airplanes, and North Caicos will probably be the next viable spot. That is, from our perspective as a company, how we would like to contribute to the country by making it a tourism hub, a world renowned travel destination.

SM: There is a need of assistance. It goes back to the numbers; we just do not have that value, so without their collaboration to help with the bleeding it will not be sustainable.

RA: This is the program that goes on for most large countries. For instance, the U.S. offer subsidies to their airlines because they feel like it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that those persons living in the small rural areas are connected. 

It also leads to a more viable economy and community. Let’s look at the economic spinoff; no investor would go to Middle Caicos, as pretty as it is, if they cannot get in and out. The government could visualize all the islands that have potential and put a good subsidy program. Some of them should be developed now and others maybe five years later, but you start building the program, introducing the airlift island by island so it can build us back up and give more visibility to those islands, more opportunities for the natives that live there as well as for the investors.


Caicos Express clearly has an expansionist policy. In 2014 you began to operate international flights to Haiti and in April you will connect Provinciales with Dominican Republic. In addition, in 2016 around 450.000 tourists stayed over the islands, figures that will increase this year according to the Ministry of Tourism. Which are your main goals for the future? Are you planning further expansions?

FR: Definitely! Our motto is “The sky is the limit” and we are definitely looking at expanding. Wherever there is an opportunity, we are going to seize it. We actually are thinking about establishing even more connections from Providenciales, and probably the next destination is going to be Kingston. But we have got to do feasible routes that make sense and help the company grow.

We are definitely seeing ourselves expanding; buying more aircrafts and growing, there is no limit with Caicos Express; just to keep growing.


In addition to your business mentality that driven you to set up Caicos Express, you have a brilliant career as pilots. Taking into consideration all your career, what do you feel most proud of? 

RA: I came down to Providenciales as a little young man and I have worked for eleven years looking for an opportunity every day. Captain Friedise Registre started the company in 2007, and I joined him in April of 2009. My proudest thing is the patience that I showed throughout those years that I was waiting.

Once we started our partnership we showed patience, despite the pressure of the investors, on every single airplane that we introduced. We have done this business on our way, even though investors or banks were pushing money down our throats. Once we even refused 15 million USD because the investment goals were not in line with our understanding of the project. We are trying to build our brand.

The biggest thing for me was showing patience, and Caicos Express has become that type of airline where everything is done in a calculated manner. 

FR: Initially we did not think of schedule flights, but the people pushed us to do it because it was actually needed; they were thirsty for service and pricing. The company’s journey is a dynamic force, and now everything is happening in perfect timing and harmony; like an orchestra. We have grown like a green giant in ten years and it has not ended and this is what I am proud of: Caicos Express’ journey. 


Harvard Business Review Leaders include some of the best business leaders and top decision makers around the world. As a conclusion to this interview, what would you like to transmit them about the future of Caicos Express?

FR: The future of Caicos Express is bright and I encourage all travelers to try the Caicos Express Airways’ experience. It is like none other. Caicos Express is going to the top with calculated and sensible decisions, always keeping the customer’s interest at heart.

It does not matter how big we become, we are still going to be the same as when we first started: we believe in service. So we encourage customers and passengers all over the world to come to Turks and Caicos and give us the opportunity to show you that our service is like none other.

RA: We would want everyone out there to know that we are a solid brand, and maybe we are unheard of in some parts of the world, but rest assured that when you show up in Turks and Caicos and you want to tour the island, we are going to be the most beautiful brand that you ever dealt with in terms of the airline business.