OIL ATTRACTS U.S AIRLINES

Dec 12, 2018 Editorial

For some time now, Caribbean Airlines has been the flagship airline carrier for Guyana. However, there has been constant pressure on Governments, past and present by Guyanese, especially those in the Diaspora to have more airlines ply the New York-Guyana route.
Poor services, high fares and mistreatment of Guyanese by immigration and custom officials at Piarco airport, Trinidad caused the demand for other airlines. Their requests have been answered.
Since taking office in May 2015, the government has recognized the need to improve the country’s air and land connectivity, especially with oil production scheduled for 2020. It has often been said that Guyana geographical location has made it a potential hub between the U.S., South America and the rest of the world.
In recognition of this and the increasing number of visitors, oil experts and business officials expected to visit the country, the government has decided to rebuild the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and lengthen its runway to accommodate wide-bodied aircrafts.
The result is that larger airlines are now landing at CJIA. Until the recent accident Fly Jamaica was using large planes to move between Guyana, New York and Canada. That airline is now out of service but American Airlines has added Guyana to its South American route. The airline is expected to add more flights as the need arises.
American Airlines decision to choose Guyana as one of its destination in South America coincides with the rebuilding of CJIA, its confidence in the country as a desirable tourist destination and its emerging oil and gas industry.
Choosing a country like Guyana which has less than a million people as one of its destination routes was not an easy decision for American Airlines. As reported, it was made possible by the hard work of several state agencies and months of planning to provide more options to the flying public and tourists to and from the country.
American Airlines decision to fly to Guyana could make it the leading U.S. carrier in the region. Guyana has become its 19th destination in South America. It is the only U.S carrier to offer airline services to the country at the moment and the second to Suriname Airways which is currently serving the Georgetown-Miami route.
The U.S. carrier has stated that it is considering adding the New York-Guyana route at a later date to accommodate the huge Guyanese population in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
The presence of American Airlines, one of the largest U.S carriers in Guyana is a very positive step towards the development of air services in the country. This is an important prerequisite for the expansion and development of the oil and gas economy.
Hundreds of oil industry experts and sectorial workers are expected to travel to the country in the coming months to help boost the oil and gas sector. Less than one month after American Airlines began plying the Guyana-Miami route, another major U.S airline, United Airlines is exploring the possibility of adding Guyana to its list of South American destinations.
The Houston-based carrier, like its American counterpart, is seeking to take advantage of Guyana’s emerging oil and gas economy. Currently, Caribbean Airlines, Fly Jamaica, COPA Airlines and American Airlines are serving the Guyana-US route. It is obvious that with more U.S air carriers coming on stream, Guyanese in Miami and in the Tri-State area would have more price options and greater access to flights from Guyana to the United States.

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