US regionals Silver Airways and Seaborne Airlines to merge

Fort Lauderdale-based regional carrier Silver Airways finalised its purchase of San Juan, Puerto Rico-based Seaborne Airlines April 23, creating a combined fleet of 31 aircraft serving Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. Financial details of the transaction were not released. The consolidated airline will be headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. Silver Airlines CEO Steve Rossum will continue at the CEO helm for the combined company, while Seaborne CEO Ben Munson will leave to lead an aviation consulting firm. The combined workforce will total nearly 1,000 employees operating in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, San Juan and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Silver Airways, from its Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa hubs, provides service between Florida and the Bahamas utilizing a fleet of 21 Saab 340 turboprops. The airline is implementing a fleet renewal programme.<br/>