Government should think seriously about re-entering the airline business

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,

Your editorial titled “Air travel, a constraint to tourism”, which appeared in the August 22 edition of your daily newspaper, has emphasised a concern on which I have been pondering for a while now. During the past six months, I have travelled thrice to North America, and my experience with the airlines was very unpleasant.

In addition to being extremely expensive and offering a poor service, the frustration of getting a flight is overbearing. Also, I have friends in Canada and the U. S. A. who are eager to visit Guyana but they are having similar problems, and this certainly discourages them from visiting Guyana.

It is no secret that Guyana has become a sought-after tourism destination. Our amazing rainforest, unique resorts, immaculate waterfalls, among other great sceneries, have caught the attention of people from all parts of the world.

However, as the editorial mentioned, “one of the main challenges that the local tourism sector faces is providing cheap and affordable air travel.” I believe that with our blooming tourism sector, it would be a wise decision for the government to re- enter the airline business.

The editorial to which I referred also reminded us that the government had contemplated re- entering the airline business after Guyana Airways was privatised and subsequently collapsed.

Editor, I am wondering why this consideration has not been given much thought before, especially since the airlines operating the Guyana/North America route are few.

It is summer time now in the northern countries, and it is hard to get a flight to or from Guyana. This is sad, because many overseas-based Guyanese wish to visit their home country at this time of the year.

I do hope that the authorities would think seriously about this matter, since it is in the nation’s interest to have available cheap and reliable air services to persons who would like to visit the country.

Yours sincerely,

Melanie Stewart

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