Less than three years after having its application to operate flights between Jamaica and the United States turned down by the authorities in Kingston, the air carrier service Airone is set provide travel services to the Caribbean.
Last year, Airone had announced that it would begin providing an intra-Caribbean service as well as a service between Barbados and the US by February this year. On Tuesday Redjet, Airone’s Barbados-based subsidiary landed a DC-9 aircraft operated by the company at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on a “proving flight” after the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) gave the green light for Redjet to provide a service between Georgetown and Barbados.
With Redjet now being touted as the Caribbean’s first low cost airline, its application to provide a service to Guyana would have faced few bureaucratic hurdles in Georgetown. Officials here, including President Bharrat Jagdeo have long been complaining about what they say are monopolies that keep air fares high. Last year Jagdeo met senior Redjet officials including Airone Chairman Ian Burns in Georgetown.
The arrival of Redjet in the Caribbean and its announced fare of US$9.99, before tax for intra-regional flights has created a stir in the regional aviation sector. Currently, the airfare between Barbados and Georgetown is approximately US$390 and with oil prices currently in the region of US$100 per barrel a senior regional aviation executive was quoted recently as saying that airlines claiming to be able to offer cheap air fares in the region are “just dreaming.”
In January, Barbados’ International Transport Minister George Huston broke a protracted silence on Redjet reportedly voicing his support for the carrier but stating that there will be no “short cuts” in the airline’s regulatory process. Hutson’s comments reportedly came in the wake of public concerns over what was felt to be the inordinate length of time in the licensing process.
Stabroek Business understands that the new airline, owned by the father and son team, Ian and Robbie Burns, has still not given up on establishing a base in Jamaica but that its immediate priorities might include establishing offices in Port of Spain and Georgetown.
The new airline reportedly has two MD-82 jet aircraft fitted with 149 seats and powered by two JT8D-217A engines. The service will be entirely economy class.
Redjet has reportedly emulated the business model adapted by Ryan Air whose primary operational bases are Dublin Airport and London’s Stanstead Airport.
