At meeting on public complaints…
CARIBBEAN Airlines has increased fares across regional destinations but not for passengers travelling to Miami, Florida in the United States (U.S.) and Canada. This was disclosed by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad after he met, on Wednesday, with carrier’s Manager in Guyana, Mr. Carl Stewart, to discuss several issues.

The meeting was also convened because of complaints from the public about what the airline is charging Guyanese flights on the Guyana to Trinidad route.

In an interview after, Prashad said Stewart the official admitted there is a slight price rise but not only for Guyana but throughout the Caribbean.

The Minister said he was assured that Caribbean Airlines is not charging higher fares for flights to Miami and Canada and the two sides agreed to monitor the charges, which will be publicised, inclusive of taxes.

“However, we are still saying that the fare is not justified and we are asking them to re-look at it,” Prashad said.

He said another concern, about which travellers complained, is that, when they attempt to redeem their frequent flyer miles, they are told it is a blackout period.

Prashad said, though, that the airline has committed to remove the obstacle and allow for the redemption at any time.

He said he expressed a worry, as well, over the quality of service being delivered to passengers.

Last week, Prashad had told the media that passengers lamented that the fares from Trinidad to Guyana and from New York to Trinidad are, basically, the same or even more.

He said the lament was that the cost had gone up by as much as $10,000 and added: “There is no reason to just discriminate against Guyanese and, also, we are talking about the service that Guyanese get on the Guyana leg, too.”

Prashad said, while travelling from New York to Trinidad, there is excellent treatment. “But, for some reason, from the time you take off from Piarco for  Guyana, the standard deteriorates.”

Monopoly
He said Caribbean Airlines practically has a monopoly in Guyana and his ministry has been trying to get more airlines to fly to this country.

According to him, there was success in getting Delta and it has been doing a fantastic job.

He said Blue Wings comes from Suriname regularly but LIAT and the other small carriers, because of the increase in arrivals, cannot cope with the traffic coming into Guyana.

Prashad reminded that Guyana saw a nine per cent rise in arrivals last year over 2008 and 14 per cent in January 2010.

“This year, we seem to be heading for an all time record high,” he speculated.

Prashad insisted that there is a need for more airlines to come to Guyana and the Ministry is trying to get American Eagle, which can facilitate travel between Barbados and Guyana or Trinidad and Guyana.

“We are hoping that some entrepreneur takes on this leg from Georgetown to Trinidad or Georgetown to Barbados, because we have airlines to take you out from Trinidad and Barbados but it is the Georgetown leg that is heavily booked. And Caribbean Airlines has got several flights per day which are filled,” he explained.

Prashad said there is a necessity for competition and that is why the Government is making it easy, in terms of licensing requirements.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon said Wednesday that  the complaints about unreasonable and unfair fares charged Guyanese, in particular those leaving Cheddi Jagan International Airport for Port of Spain, Trinidad remains a concern for Cabinet.

He said notwithstanding the previous interventions by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Cabinet is calling on market forces to bring about some sort of relief to Guyanese travelers and the opening of that route of competition is seriously being considered.