GUYANA: WestJet Not Interested In Flying To Guyana

Canada’s second largest airline, Westjet, said that it has no plans to operate to Guyana, and distanced itself from a statement made by Wesley Kirton, director of the Roraima Group of Companies, at the Caribbean Aviation Handlers Association (CAHA) symposium in Guyana recently that the airline is looking to enter the Guyana market.

The airline said that it did not release or authorize Kirton’s statement apologising for the absence of the West Jet representative, Beverly Garcia- Cottrell due to a personal emergency:

“I am asked to convey to the meeting her regrets for not being here but to convey to the Guyanese authorities WestJet’s commitment to looking at serving the Guyana market and to advise that WestJet will send a delegation to Guyana shortly to initiate discussions with the authorities here.”

Kirton added that a one-on-one meeting had been set up for Garcia-Cottrell, a manager at WestJet, with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

WestJet has denied all of this.

WestJet representative, Lauren Steward, said WestJet did not issue any statement – the statement that you have is from your government not WestJet. As I mentioned, and reconfirmed, WestJet does not have any plans to operate to Guyana.

When asked to contact Garcia-Cottrell, WestJet did not answer that part of the email.

There are, however, unconfirmed reports that a date for Garcia-Cottrell to meet with the GCAA has been scheduled.

Toronto and New York City have a large Guyanese diaspora community and airlift from these cities to Guyana is very limited and of poor quality.

Meanwhile, GCAA director general, Egbert Field said that, while other carriers have signaled their intent to enter the Guyana market, there have been no concrete decisions made.

“We do not disclose anything until an application is made. Then we know that they are serious,” he added.


Tourism Observer

GUYANA: WestJet To Offer Service Between Canada And Guyana

The Canadian airline WestJet is to send a delegation to Guyana shortly to initiate discussions with the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Public Infrastructure Ministry which has responsibility for aviation matters about offering service between Canada and Guyana.

This information was disclosed during the opening of the 15th Annual General Meeting of the Barbados based Caribbean Aviation Handlers Association (CAHA) at the Symposium Conference Center here last Friday.

Performing the function of chair of the official opening ceremony of the meeting, Wesley Kirton, a director of the Roraima Group of Companies which hosted the conference, apologized for the absence of the West Jet representative, Ms. Beverly Garcia- Cottrell due to a personal emergency.

I am asked to convey to the meeting her regrets for not being here but to convey to the Guyanese authorities WestJet’s commitment to looking at serving the Guyana market and to advise that WestJet will send a delegation to Guyana shortly to initiate discussions with the authorities here, Kirton said.

A one-on-one meeting had been set up for Ms. Garcia-Cottrell with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The CAHA meeting was declared open by Guyana’s Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and heard also from GCAA’s acting director general Ms. Artie Heeralall, the vice chair of the Private Sector Commission Mr. Desmond Sears and chief executive officer of Roraima Airways Capt. Gerry Gouveia.

The meeting addressed a number of issues affecting the regional aviation industry including safety on the ramp, regulation of ground handlers, modernization and the regional open skies agreement.

The meeting also heard from airlines serving the region including Surinam Airways, Aruba Airlines and Inter Caribbean Airways.

WestJet operates over 100 aircraft, exclusively Boeing models, out of Canada.

The airline currently operates the Boeing 737 and Boeing 767 aircraft, and according to recent records, it has ordered 10 Boeing 787 aircraft to boost its fleet.

In a statement issued in December 2016, the airline said that it is seeking larger aircraft with the intention of adding new destinations.

In recent years, a number of airlines from across the region and further afield have expressed an interest in the Guyana travel market.

Earlier this year, major US carrier, American Airlines announced that it will be operating flights between the CJIA and Miami from December this year, offering travellers additional travel options between these shores and North America.


Tourism Observer