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Fly Jamaica appeal meets more objections
Government yesterday called on local businesses to petition US authorities to change their minds about not allowing Fly Jamaica to operate direct flights to Guyana. This was hours after reports that Fly Jamaica’s application for a review had again met with objections.
It will be recalled that earlier this year both Fly Jamaica, which is based in Jamaica, and the Trinidadian-owned Caribbean Airlines, applied to the US authorities for permission to fly the Guyana/US route.
However, Airlines For America whose members include Delta Airlines objected, saying that both airlines were based in third countries, and in any case did not show sufficient cause why they should be granted the direct flights.
Delta left Guyana earlier this year after reportedly expressing unhappiness with CAL’s fuel subsidy from the Trinidad government which provided an unfair playing field.
Fly Jamaica’s bid to operate on the US/Georgetown route for direct flights has again met with objections.
Late last month, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) ruled that both CAL and Fly Jamaica were unsuccessful in their bids for the direct flights.
Fly Jamaica then asked for a review and it was this that Airlines For America recently again objected to saying that no new reasons have been advanced to reverse DOT’s decision.
Yesterday, according to the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Irfaan Ali, the continuing situation is a threat to lower air fares.
“We believe that there must be fair and open competition, and if the fact remains that there is no American carrier in the market, then we view this as a regressive step.”
Guyana badly wants more direct flights to the US. Earlier this year, following Delta’s pullout, fares rose to an alarming high, prompting Government to summon CAL’s management to a meeting.
The arrival of Fly Jamaica, partially owned by Guyanese pilot Ronald Reece, and which started flying the New York route last month was seen as a glimmer of hope for passengers saddled with high fares. Passengers had complained of even paying up to US$1600 for a return ticket.
“The decision to deny the application for direct flights is one that does not fit into our business interest and it is something that I think we have to fight and respond to as a country. At present, there is no American carrier in the market and Fly Jamaica will face a very burdensome position of flying through Jamaica,” Minister Ali said yesterday.
The Government official warned that the decision by the US will only add more cost to the operations to the airline, which will undoubtedly affect ticket prices.
“The government has been working hard to build and maintain capacity in the air transport sector and we acknowledge that Fly Jamaica’s operations in Guyana will aid in significantly boosting the capacity in the local air transportation sector; we know too that a significant per cent of the Guyanese Diaspora live in or near New York and this decision has also left Guyanese without a direct flight option to New York.”
Ali made it clear that the situation means that passengers using Fly Jamaica service will have to continue to in-transit in Jamaica before heading to New York.
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