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Insel Air enters Guyana’s market with eastern flights
With plans to widen the Guyana market to Europe and far reaching eastern destinations,
Airport officials, Roraima Airways and Insel Air representatives stand with members of the Aruban media at Wednesday’s event.
Curacao-based airline, Insel Air is creating a new dispensation in local travel, business connections and tourism. Arriving just before midnight on Wednesday, the airline has signaled the commencement of twice weekly flights from Guyana to Miami, Venezuela and the Caribbean among other destinations.
The airline’s MD-80 jet arrived with some 60 passengers on board, the majority of who were Chinese that travelled to Europe, before connecting with Insel Air through its popular destinations. The airline’s Aruba Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Nuboer told a gathering of media personnel and invited guests, that the number of passengers entering the country on just the inaugural flight shows the need for the connectivity.
“This already shows that there is a need, not only for Aruba, but from aboard. There are passengers coming in from the East; Holland and even farther than that, to Aruba to continue to Guyana.” Some 80 persons also left on the airline’s early Thursday morning flight, but Nuboer says that it has already been forecasted that flights will be filling up “very quickly.” The CEO expressed gratitude for the opportunity to operate in Guyana and reiterated that new possibilities are being added for tourism and business in both Guyana and Aruba.
Roraima Airways’ boss Captain Gerry Gouviea in his address expressed that it has been recognized that persons from China and other far reaching eastern areas, have always had difficulty accessing Guyana. He said however, that a number of Chinese nationals were able to get to the country via Insel Air, connecting from Holland to Aruba and then to Guyana. This he said creates that new conduit especially from Europe where tourist are more prone to eco- and adventure tourism which Guyana has to offer.
He said that Roraima Airwaves is the local face of Insel Air, before relating that the airline’s presence in Guyana is a testimony of trust. He reminded that Insel Air will be arriving in Guyana on Wednesdays and Saturdays and leaving on the following days.
Initially, the flight will go to Aruba, Miami and Venezuela among other locations. A couple months from now, two or three more flights would be added to the Guyana route.
In welcoming Insel Air to Guyana, Chief Executive Officer of Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Ramesh Ghir said that the airport is playing its part in the developmental plan of Guyana. He said in the past six months four airlines have arrived in Guyana while in a few weeks two more are expected.
Ghir expressed that discussions are already ongoing over capacity problems. He related that while discussions are ongoing with a
European airline, it has been recognized that none of the planes in their fleet can land at the airport. “This is already a major challenge.”
Ghir expressed that the influx of passengers expected from these airlines will be an issue, since they will have to transit the airport within a short period of time. “It is very critical for the airline to also be able to bring in their aircraft, move in and out in a timely manner so not to incur cost.”
Ghir and the airport Chairman Ramesh Dookhoo, both expressed the need for the airport expansion project.
In recent months, Guyana has seen the comeback of US carrier TravelSpan, Fly Jamaica, and now Insel Air. Panamanian-airline COPA and US-based Dynamic Airlines is also expected on board in a few weeks. This brings massive competition for Trinidadian carrier Caribbean Airlines which once dominated the Guyana route. Aviation authorities say discussions are ongoing with more airlines.
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