A review of a status report on equipment belonging to Insel Air is currently underway, says Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Captain Egbert Field.
Stabroek News has previously reported on the decision taken by the GCCA to prohibit the airline’s operations in Guyana, following concerns raised over the safety of the aircraft used by the Curacao Flag Carrier.
Field had said that a letter had been written to the Curacao Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) seeking clarity on the issue facing the airline. At that time, almost two weeks had already elapsed, and the GCAA was still awaiting a response.
Speaking with the Director General yesterday, he explained that contact was eventually established, resulting in a status report on the equipment used by the airline being offered for review, a process he said is still on-going.
In the meantime, the decision to suspend the airline’s operations in Guyana remains in effect.
Based on reports carried by several regional and international news sources, Insel Air has for some time been experiencing financial difficulties and safety issues.
One such incident as reported by the Curacao Chronicle, saw a flight destined for Miami having to return to Curacao, after pilots were confronted with a warning that there was no pressure in the cabin, while another incident saw pilots of the airline refusing to take off from St. Maarten because they deemed the aircraft unsafe.
In light of concerns raised about the safety of passengers travelling with Insel Air, both the US Embassy and Surinamese Consulate in Curacao have issued notices advising its officials and citizens against using the airline.
Prior to that, it was also reported that the CCAA had grounded almost all of Insel Air’s aircraft, in both Aruba and Curacao, due to safety issues.
Insel Air commenced service to Guyana in 2014 with flights to Aruba and Curacao, and offered flight connections to over 20 destinations, including Miami.
