TravelSpan to suspend operations

… following fallout with Vision Airlines

After a fallout with Vision Airlines, TravelSpan has announced that it would be suspending its service out of Guyana from Saturday, but with the hope of returning to business once it secures another company from which to rent an aircraft.

TravelSpan Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nohar Singh confirmed to Guyana Times International on Wednesday that the company was in the process of finalising new arrangements with another airline, while noting its dissatisfaction with the services of Vision Airlines.

Singh explained that while the TravelSpan staff, including Flight Attendants, and Management have worked diligently to offer a much-needed solution for an alternative airline within the market, its rented planes have been plagued by mechanical issues which resulted in unsatisfactory service on the flights.

Pullout

The CEO added that due to the lack of consistent service proven by the significant amount of cancelled and delayed flights that caused major inconvenience to TravelSpan’s clients and the continued losses to TravelSpan and to Vision Airlines, effective September 27, the company will be discontinuing its General Sales Agent (GSA) status.

As such, he noted that all passengers booked to travel after September 27 will be protected with full refunds and offered the services of another carrier and in the interim, TravelSpan will be finalising arrangements with the new carrier.

Nevertheless, TravelSpan is committed to refund monies for tickets purchased after September 27. Singh, in a release, explained that for tickets paid in the United States, TravelSpan has been protecting passenger’s monies in escrow.

This precaution, the release added, was taken so that customers would not be left stranded as was the case of previous carriers after they discontinued operations.

For tickets paid for in Guyana, TravelSpan’s office will rebook passengers or offer a full refund.

The Escrow Bank will take approximately 14 days for the refund to be processed and the cheques to be prepared for customers.

The airline is, however, cognisant that while monies are protected, customers who have to wait for their refunds to be processed will be inconvenienced.

The airline says it remains committed and is looking forward to collaborating with a carrier that would keep the standard of excellence that it demands for its customers.

TravelSpan re-entered the Guyana Market last December with fully-booked flights to the United States out of Guyana, but stumbled in July of this year, with several cancellations which resulted in a dispute between Vision Airlines and TravelSpan.

Rising prices

The airline had sought reimbursements from the charter company for the delays and cancellations, but those talks were unsuccessful; hence, a decision to drop the charter company.

A senior member of the airline said that the decision to discontinue the services of Vision Airlines has been in the making for weeks.

In light of the delays and cancellations, the senior staff told the Guyana Times International, the public had lost confidence in the services of TravelSpan and booked with other carriers.

“It will take some time for the airline to get back on its feet and with the Christmas season fast approaching, they are hoping to be up and running,” she added.

Moreover, with the absence of TravelSpan and Dynamic Airlines, other carriers have already upped their ticket fares to the US.

Presently, Caribbean Airlines, which is operating in the red, is charging close to US$900 while Copa Airlines is quoted as close to US$1000 and Fly Jamaica is the cheapest at US$664.

Only recently, TravelSpan had applied to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for permission to operate a scheduled service, moving away from the charter service it is licensed to provide.

Officials at the airline had told this newspaper that the move to acquire such a licence basically indicates that TravelSpan is here for the long haul.

“A charter service is basically to operate seasonal, but with this Scheduled Licence we have applied for… is indicating that we are here for the long haul,” the airline official said.