Ogle Int’l Airport now a Regional Class facility

Mar 27, 2013 News

– LIAT makes inaugural landing, to commence operations mid-year

LIAT, the Caribbean Airline, made its inaugural flight to Ogle International Airport yesterday signaling the facility’s status as a certified Regional Class Airport. By mid-year the airline is expected to commence operations at Ogle, hence pulling all flights from Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

LIAT makes its inaugural landing at Ogle International Airport

This is according to LIAT’s Chief Executive Officer, Ian Brunton who piloted the aircraft, a Dash-8, from Antigua to Guyana. All crew members were Guyanese. The plane landed a little before the first taxiway on the newly extended runway indicating that the airport could accommodate larger planes, an observer said.
Aircraft like the Turbo Prop, Dash-8s and ATR flights operated by LIAT and Caribbean Airlines, as well as executive-type aircraft could now utilise Ogle Airport.
“Flying into Ogle would also mean reduced flying time… flying time round-trip less an average of 10 minutes per flight. This of course would result in a significant annual fuel reduction for LIAT- approximately 19,300 gallons per annum,” Brunton informed attendees at the official commissioning of the facility.
The gathering included President Donald Ramotar, Transport Minister Robeson Benn, Chairman of Private Sector Commission Ronald Webster, Former CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Within recent weeks the airline conducted a survey between Guyana and Barbados to ascertain from customers which airport (either Ogle or CJIA) they prefer, and though the results are still being tabulated, Ogle was clearly more popular.
Brunton related that of the 625 persons who completed the survey, 62.24 percent chose Ogle while 37.76 percent chose CJIA.
“Let me point out that the majority of respondents – 84 percent – were not residents of Guyana,” he emphasised.
For LIAT to begin commercial service into Ogle there would be other requirements. One critical component is the VOR/DME (VHF omnidirectional range/Distance measuring equipment), an important navigational aid. Ogle Airport management has advised LIAT that the equipment will be in place by year-end.
Brunton recalled that in 2010 Ogle Airport’s management mentioned plans to extend the runway to accommodate ATR series and Dash-8 series class of aircraft.
“LIAT’s Executive Management immediately agreed to review the possibility of beginning service to Ogle as an alternative to CJIA… It was determined that the (closer) proximity to Georgetown would give the company a competitive advantage.”
Last year, the newly constructed runway was commissioned. The runway is now 4,000 x 100 feet.
Echoing the convenience of utilising the Ogle Airport in terms of saving time was PSC Chairman Webster, who said that sometimes time is not quantified – but a lot of time is spent travelling to airports, waiting on flights, and sometimes having to spend overnight for a flight.
As such, the types of planes that would be leaving Ogle and the availability make the facility efficient to travel to other Caribbean locations. He painted a bleak picture of how travel time could sometimes amount to 48 hours because of the different routes one has to take to arrive to one’s destination.
President Ramotar in his remarks noted that this initiative is a perfect example of a public-private partnership lending to infrastructural development in Guyana. Such developments, he stressed, are generally expensive and need mobilisation and garnering of resources. He cited as a similar successful venture, the Berbice Bridge Company Inc.
The Head of State related that last Saturday he turned the sod marking the commencement of expansion works at CJIA.
Though, LIAT flights will be pulled from CJIA to save fuel, Ramotar expressed optimism that the country’s main port of entry would be a hub for flights from North America and Africa.
Flashing back to 1993, Ramotar said that an inquiry was made if South African airlines would like to use Guyana as an in-transit point, but because the runway was too short it was not possible. However, with the extension of the runway it is hoped that more flights would come to Guyana contributing to an emerging tourism industry.
Chairman of the Board of Ogle International Airport, Michael Correia, said that the cost-benefit gain to Guyana has been huge.
“Ogle International Airport has cost the Guyanese taxpayers absolutely nothing to build. There is no debt for the Government to

Invitees at yesterday’s official commissioning ceremony

repay. OAI has been given no corporate tax relief, no property tax relief. OAI pays a lease and shares the passenger, throughout revenue with Government. We have estimated that the Government of Guyana and, therefore, the people of Guyana, will, as a result, benefit from over 50 percent of the future profit of OAI,” he added.
According to Correia, management only used US$6M of investment capital to develop the airport because it has been managed by an experienced, capable and careful private sector team.
He noted that the success of Ogle should act as a reminder of how private investment could be used to help Guyana move forward by sharing the burden of infrastructural development costs.