Caribbean Airlines replaces Blue Waters with SM Jaleel as in-flight water supplier

Trinidad and Tobago: Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has awarded a new agreement to SM Jaleel & Company to supply bottled water for its flights. The contract, valued at $405,600, was proposed on July 8.

The decision came shortly after the airline stopped serving Blue Waters bottled water, which had been used on the flights for over 15 years. For a while after ending its contract with Blue Waters, Caribbean Airlines switched to Dasani, which is a subsidiary brand of The Coca Cola Company.

The airline has now switched to SM Jaleel, which manufactures several bottled water brands, including Oasis.

Blue Waters was found by Dominic Hadeed was arrested along with his wife on June 24 and was placed under Preventive Detention Orders issued under Trinidad and Tobago’s Emergency Powers Regulations. The orders allowed the authorities to hold them in jail without pressing immediate formal charges.

Caribbean Airlines has not publicly connected the decision to change the water supply to the detention of Hadeed, and has not provided further details on why the long standing supply agreement ended.

SM Jaleel is a leading player in the Caribbean beverage industry. Based in Trinidad and Tobago, the company manufactures a large variety of soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, and bottled water that are sold in the Caribbean and international markets.

Caribbean Airlines is based in Trinidad and Tobago, which also serves the Caribbean, North America, and South America. As of January 2024, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago owned 88.06 percent of the company and the Government of Jamaica owned the other 11.94 percent.