Govt mulls relaunching national airline

The government of Guyana may soon re-enter the airline business as the demand for another carrier for the North American route increases.

In an interview with Guyana Times International on May 14, Tourism Minister Manniram Prashad said there is serious consideration ongoing to relaunch a national airline.

According to the minister, most of the flights for the summer holidays in and out of Guyana are already booked, despite Delta Airlines adding an extra flight to its schedule; and there are thousands of persons wishing to come to Guyana but are unable to get a flight.

This has been an ongoing problem for the past few years, especially during the holiday seasons. Guyanese, both in the country and in the diaspora, and other tourists have complained bitterly over the years about the non-availability of flights. The exorbitant prices charged by airlines in and out of North America have also been a major issue, Prashad stated.

With Guyana becoming a top tourist destination in the Caribbean, and with there being increased travel by the diaspora, getting a flight into Guyana has become a difficult proposition for thousands, the tourism minister said.

Prashad added that, while government is contemplating its decision to re-enter the airline business, it is especially eyeing the North American market, since Caribbean Airlines and REDjet are adequately covering Caribbean destinations.

“Guyana is being put at a disadvantage with the North America market, because tourists who may want to come to see the country during summer, Christmas, Mashramani, and even for those coming for bird watching and other major events, will be faced with flight constraints. Last summer, all of the flights were fully booked and very expensive.”

Such a repeat, Prashad said, will cause tourists to miss an opportunity to visit Guyana, which is a prime location for eco-tourism.

At a recent business dinner, President Jagdeo, addressing the private sector, had encouraged the private sector to become involved in the venture of airline operation.

Guyana Airways was privatised in 1999/ 2000 to a Guyanese business conglomerate, but the airline collapsed shortly afterwards.

Air travel has been quite an expensive venture, with a number of inconveniences on Guyanese travellers.

Only recently, Caribbean Airlines’ Chairman George Nicholas issued an apology to Guyanese passengers who encounter difficulties while in transit in several countries, after meeting with Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo.

REDjet recently launched a service to Guyana. The airline is initially servicing the Guyana- Barbados route four times a week, and hopes to move to a daily schedule very soon. Chairman of REDjet, Ian Burns, said the goal of the airline is to provide a low-cost airline offering affordable service.