REDjet eyes the skies for March take-off

The newest air carrier in the Caribbean, Barbadian-based REDjet is aiming to start commercial operations in another two months, top aviation officials have said.

The airline’s initial destinations are Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica. Officially introduced last October, REDjet promises regional air travellers low fares starting at US$9.99 excluding government taxes and other charges.

A privately owned company, REDjet was founded in 2006 by Robbie Burns and is incorporated in St Lucia. The airline’s corporate office is situated at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados.

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has already granted approval for the airline to service Guyana and the authorities here had expected the carrier to start service since last October. However, REDjet could not have started since it was finalising the necessary documentation and procedures in Barbados to begin operations.

The airline has two MD82 jet aircrafts that are fitted with 149 seats and powered by two JT8B 2174 engines. The airline plans to open bases across the region as it develops routes to various destinations in the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

Carrying the tagline “the Caribbean’s Low Fares Airlines,” REDjet assures that the US$9.99 fare is no trick based on its commitment to low operating costs, low overhead and distribution costs and high efficiency. One of the unique styles of operations adopted by REDjet to ensure low fares would see all of its aircraft crew returning home every night, thereby reducing hotel and maintenance costs.

Other than REDjet, the GCAA late last year approved two air carriers that applied to service Guyana. To date, both of those airlines, Surinam Airways and Canadian Enerjet, are yet to commence flights here.

Surinam Airways received approval to fly a route from Suriname through Guyana to Miami, while Enerjet applied to operate scheduled flights from Toronto to Guyana.

At present, the aviation authority is reviewing applications from two Guyanese companies interested in setting up new airlines to operate out of Guyana to the Caribbean and Canada.

The applicants are FLY-GT Airlines and Wings Aviation Limited. Guyanese officials have in recent times initiated talks with a number of international air carriers, seeking to have additional airline service from Guyana to the Caribbean, North America and other destinations, mainly to help bring down the fares for Guyanese passengers.

Also the administration has said on more than one occasion that it is even looking at acquiring its own airline.