ASL opens new lounge, commissions aircraft

Air Services Limited (ASL) has opened a new departure lounge and commissioned two Cessna Grand Caravans on Friday. During the simple ceremony held in the newly-opened lounge at the ASL Hangar, Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara, Guyana’s first female Cessna Grand Caravan pilot, Captain Feriel Ally, was also honoured for her achievement.

Attending the event were Public Works Minister Robeson Benn, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Opposition Leader David Granger, along with several other prominent persons.
The newly-opened departure lounge was named after ASL’s chairman, Yacoob Ally, and the two new aircrafts were named after Bhesham Persaud, the quality manager, and Chandrashekar Balgrim, an aircraft engineer.
The two Cessna Caravans, bearing registrations BHP and GCB, were purchased to facilitate the expanded schedule to Lethem and for tourism flights.
ASL came into business 15-years ago with just one Darter aircraft and five employees, with the intention of servicing the A Mazaharally and Sons timber operations.
Today, the company has expanded its fleet to 23 aircrafts, 180 employees and 150 flights per week. Even the school since its establishment in 2003, with just one flight instructor, has expanded and includes instructors from the USA, Jamaica, Syria and Egypt.
ASL Operations Manager Annette Arjoon-Martins told the gathering that as Guyana’s economic expansion continues, ASL is keeping abreast with the demand for safe, affordable local air service. “Again, to look carefully is to see that this change taking place at ASL is happening in the wider country, as well, as both private sector and government are moving to new partners and new suppliers, leading to further development,” said Arjoon-Martins.
She said that she is proud of the fact that the ASL will soon have a state-of-the-art fuel farm opposite its hangar at the Ogle International Airport; adding that it will be of a standard comparable to what exists in developed countries.
The operations manager went on to say that ASL has also received permission from the government and security clearance from the Home Affairs Ministry to operate a helicopter service in Guyana. “We’re looking at bringing in a Bell 206 to deliver this service,” she said.
Meanwhile, Minister Benn, in his feature address, told the gathering that he is always pleased with the significant steps taken to develop the transportation sector, particularly domestic aviation.
He said: “This is a signal event; it signifies with the bringing of the two additional Caravans to the field of air services, the great transition we have been making towards having affordable and safe transportation into the interior of our country.”
“We have been moving from the Highlander standard to the Caravan and I would say that the move is a significant one in respect to comfort and safety. Also the ambiance, the care, the skill and the standard with which it has to be operated are all significant improvements, so I want not only to congratulate the Air Services Limited for bringing in two Caravans for their operations, but all the operators in the industry who are working to achieve this result,” the minister said.
He noted that the next goal in the industry that needs to be targeted is affordable, safe and efficient operations for Guyanese, adding that government, through its ministry, has been working hard to improve the facilitation for the domestic airline industry.
“We are aware that we have been in a partnership with the EU and the Ogle Aircraft Inc to spend some Gy$30 million, which has seen an increase in the runway at Ogle – a new runway and an extension of the runway to make Ogle a regional airport for Guyana,” said Minister Benn.
He added that while this work is still ongoing, there has been significant improvement. Minister Benn disclosed that some Gy$1 billion has been invested to improve flight instrumentation and navigation systems at both Ogle and the Cheddi Jagan International airports.
Captain Feriel Ally was presented with an award to honour her achievements. The two Cessna Grand Caravans were commissioned, and persons were given a tour of the new fuel farm.