Latest update April 16th, 2026 12:40 AM
Support for new airline
Dear Editor,
I am excited to read that foreign (Greek) investors (Kaieteur News August 31) are considering setting up a national airline to ply the Timehri/North American and Caribbean destinations.
Another carrier is badly needed between Cheddi Jagan and New York and Toronto and it will be profitable once it is properly managed and patronized.
The increased airline competition will inevitably result in lower fares than we currently pay benefiting Guyanese and encouraging them to visit Guyana more frequently.
At times, the fare between JFK and CJIA is twice that of flying between JFK and New Delhi. The competition will bring down the fare. Thus, I fully support the government’s initiative to lure investors in the airline industry and re-establishing a national carrier.
The President is right in noting that that the high price for aviation fuel is a major hurdle to lower fares. Sourcing cheaper jet fuel (light kerosene) from neighbouring Venezuela is smart business and I applaud the President for holding talks in Venezuela.
Fuel is being subsidized in Trinidad and a Guyanese carrier will find it difficult to compete with a Trinidad carrier unless fuel price is competitive in Guyana. It is inexplicable why fuel is more than twice the price in Guyana than in New York, when we can access cheaper fuel in Venezuela.
The Government has a moral obligation to make sure that another airline is operational by extending financial and other support needed to break the monopoly. We need to understand the importance to have the operations of another carrier sustained. At one time there were five carriers plying the New York-Timehri route. Traffic was high and Guyana boomed with the revenue flowing in from the increased traffic and presence of overseas Guyanese in the homeland.
Currently, the two carriers, CAL and Delta, cannot meet rising demand and fares have been ridiculously high driving Diaspora Guyanese away from traveling to their former homeland.
A new airline will bring into the economy millions of (US) dollars through tourist/visitors who use the airline to come into the country and stay in our fine hotels as well as allow Diaspora Guyanese to reconnect with families, friends and loved ones.
Vishnu Bisram
Share this:
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.