RedJet’s Chief Executive Officer Ian Burns has dismissed speculation that the company has any short-term plans to extend its low-fare air travel plans to Brazil.
While not ruling out the possibility that flights between Caricom countries and Brazil may be on the cards in the future, Burns told Stabroek Business that it was not on the company’s front burner.
In August last year the Antigua Observer had published an article alluding to what it said was an online report by Demerara Waves on the likely establishment of “direct links from Guyana into both Brazil and Antigua.” The Antigua Observer article alluded to “plans” by RedJet “to take advantage of the large populations of Brazilians in Guyana.” However, Burns was definitive in his comment to the Stabroek Business that the extent of RedJet’s resources precluded such a venture at this time.
Meanwhile, Burns told Stabroek Business that RedJet was seeking to create yet another route for Guyana to add to those that already exist between Georgetown and Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua. While declining to name the additional route, Burns said RedJet was seeking to create that route this year.
Burns told Stabroek Business that the growing success of the company’s relationship with Guyana was the result of what he described as the country’s “open skies policy.” According to Burns, the airline had created an additional 220,000 seats for Guyana in 2012 and the country’s economy has already netted significant financial returns from airport and other taxes, visitor arrival-related spending and other spinoffs arising out increased travel to Guyana.
Having launched its service between Guyana and Barbados in May 2011, RedJet, by July 2011 had realized a 70 – 80 per cent load factor while according to Burns the load factor for the service between Guyana and Antigua, launched last November was already at between 65 and 70 per cent. He said that the year-to-year 16.8 per cent increase in visitor arrivals in Guyana recorded last year had coincided with the advent of RedJet as a service provider to the country. “That is something that we are very proud of,” Burns said.
Asked to comment on RedJet’s longer-term plans for serving the aviation industry in the region, Burns assured Stabroek Business that the company was “in it for the long haul.” He said that RedJet was under no illusions regarding the challenges it was likely to face in the region. “I am not a hired executive who can just walk away. My personal future depends on the success of Red Jet. That has been the case since 2006,” he said.
According to Burns while he had commenced the Red Jet operation with “zero aviation experience” that had been compensated for by sound experience of business. “Our low-cost, high volumes business model is the most successful business model in the aviation industry. Our focus is on creating the conditions that get people to fly. The RedJet revolution has happened. We’re over some of the hurdles.”
Burns was in Guyana this week to meet government officials including Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ally and officials of Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).
