History
The airline was established as Gulfstream International Airlines (GFT) in October 1988 and started operations on December 1, 1990. It was founded by Thomas L. Cooper, a former Boeing 727 captain for Eastern Air Lines during the pilots' strike in 1989. Initially it operated as an on-demand air taxi between Miami, Florida and Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, but was relocated to the Bahamas, when the political climate in Haiti forced the operation to halt. The airline also flew diplomatic mail to the U.S. Interest in Havana on a weekly basis. In May 1994, a codeshare agreement was signed with United Airlines. In December 1995 Gulfstream began the transition from a FAR 135 carrier to FAR 121, allowing operation of larger aircraft such as leased Short 360s. Its parent company, G-Air Holdings, acquired Paradise Island Airlines in August 1998 and continued to operate its de Havilland Canada Dash 7s. Prior to TWA's acquisition by American Airlines, Gulfstream operated as a part of the Trans World Connection network as TWConnection. In August 2003, Paradise Island Airlines' operating certificate was sold to US Airways Group. In 2004, a long-term codeshare agreement with Continental Airlines was signed. Thomas L. Cooper sold his stake in the company to Gulfstream International Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation in March 2006. Gulfstream had approximately 600 employees as of April 2009.
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