REDjet, billed as the Carib-bean‘s first low fare airline, yesterday officially launched its operations here and it plans to stimulate travel within the region with its “war on high air fares”.
REDjet Business Develop-ment Director and co-founder Robbie Burns, during a press briefing at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, said the airline has received the requisite clearances from the authorities at all of its planned route destinations, including Barbados where it is based. He said that the Barbadian authorities gave REDjet the relevant clearances to operate out of the island to and from Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in the form of an Air Operators Certificate on Friday.
Reports out of Trinidad are that Works Minister Austin ‘Jack’ Warner was “in the dark” as regards how the airline was granted approval to operate to the island by the aviation authority there. However, Burns yesterday reiterated that the airline had been granted approval by the authorities in all its planned territories of operation, including Trinidad and Tobago.
Burns said that since the launching of its web portals, REDjet has seen in excess of 250,000 bookings from customers across the region, which represents 15% of available seating. He said that the advent of the airline has already seen a drop in air fares by other regional airlines—a move which he noted was good for the travelling public.
Burns noted that traditionally Guyana has been “the most expensive” country in the region as a travel destination, with most airlines charging passengers heavily to and from these shores. He said REDjet’s launch “marks a crackdown on high fares to Guyana”. He reiterated that the new airline is committed and will make “a promise” to end the existing high cost for travel to and from Guyana and the fares “will be equal to other routes” REDjet will operate.
As of yesterday, fares were available online for bookings starting on May 8, when the airline will make its inaugural flight as a commercial airline between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Flights between Guyana and Barbados commence on May 13 (instead of May 12 as was previously announced) with four weekly flights. Burns said the airline will soon operate daily flights between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago—a route which most persons have complained of as being expensive in terms of regional air travel.
The airline is now launching ticket desks at Digicel’s retail locations and persons will be able to pay for tickets online, through the airline’s call centre or at select Bill Direct locations.
Burns said the airline will be operating on the foundation of being affordable, efficient and providing safe air transport. He said the company’s vision for Guyana “is that everyone should be able to travel, be it friends, family for shopping or vacation.”
Kevin Dudley, the company’s Chief Operations Officer, noted that REDjet brings to the table a single, simplified business model, putting on offer a single class product with a single aircraft type. He noted too that the airline utilises modern, consumer driven distribution channels, with no interlining flights or with other airlines.
According to him, REDjet is working towards doubling its growth within another five years.
As regards the impact the airline will have on the travel market, he said its introduction will see airlines competing, with the passengers being the beneficiaries.
Head of Communications at REDjet, Nyssa Pierre, said market research by the airline has shown that 91% of consumers interviewed preferred lower airfares to an in-flight movie, 93% preferred lower air fares to a snack or meal, while 83% wished to travel more but complained of high air fares. She said REDjet’s policy on food on its flights is open as passengers can take onboard their food of choice, but the airline also has on offer a Sky Café and Bar, which are optional along with a ‘Convenience fee’ and ‘Priority Boarding.’ Its baggage policy is also customer-based. Pierre said that the airline’s “fantastic service” would see less lost bags and less delayed flights, non-stop direct location flights, aircraft seating with 32-33 inches of legroom, and a general “you choose what you want” policy.
REDjet plans to capitalise on the aviation sector as telecommunications provider Digicel did in that sector. The company will operate two McDonnell Douglas (MD82) aircraft, which were bought from United States carrier American Airlines and which REDjet described as the workhorse of the low fares airlines. According to REDjet, the aircraft was built to turn around quickly and while it can hold 169 passengers, the company will carry 149 to accommodate baggage and quick turnaround times between destinations.
The travelling public can log onto the company’s website, www.flyREDjet.com, to make bookings and view the schedule of flights and prices.
