Aviation History
As a French overseas department and region, Guadeloupe's civil aviation operates within the French and EU regulatory framework rather than as an independent national system. Pointe-à-Pitre's airport (long known as Le Raizet, now Guadeloupe Maryse Condé) has served as the archipelago's main gateway since the 1960s, and local carriers Air Guadeloupe and successor Air Caraïbes (formed 2000) built the region's inter-island and transatlantic links to mainland France.
Le Raizet airport near Pointe-à-Pitre became Guadeloupe's principal air gateway, later marking its 40th anniversary in 2006.
Operations began under this name, one of the lineages that would later form Air Caraïbes.
Air Caraïbes was created in July 2000 through the merger of Air Guadeloupe, Air Martinique, Air Saint-Barthélemy, and Air Saint-Martin, consolidating the French Antilles' regional carriers.
Air Caraïbes began transatlantic flights to Paris Orly using Airbus A330-200 aircraft in December 2003, connecting Guadeloupe directly to mainland France.
In January 2006, Pointe-à-Pitre was among the first airports to host demonstration flights of the Airbus A380 prototype.
Air Caraïbes took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, modernizing long-haul service between Guadeloupe and Paris.
Air Caraïbes · Air Antilles · Air France
Wikipedia, Guadeloupe Pôle Caraïbes airport authority, airline corporate history