DESPITE the continued delays in accessing permission to initiate operations in Trinidad and Jamaica, REDjet remains committed to launching their service to these destinations.
REDjet’s Director of Business Development, Robbie Burns made this declaration during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Tuesday, at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
He explained that the delays facing the low fare airline are not unique, but are experienced by many companies, especially those entering heavily regulated and state-owned industries.
“REDJet has experienced the same and we see the delays as delays; ultimately, we will be able to fly into these territories,” Burns stated.
As to the scope of the airline’s progress so far, he explained, “We have received operational certification in Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica; now we are waiting on the decision of the Air Transport License Board, once we have the decisions we will be able to plan our next course of action.”
Mr. Burns highlighted that conventions and international agreements exist both in the Caribbean and internationally, which will enable the airline to fly into the territories.
Even as Burns expressed optimism at overcoming the hurdles, he highlighted that the company has made the decision to take eight of its cabin crew off duty, owing to the existing delays.
Burns explained that most of those affected have already been accommodated in other areas of the business where there were heavy demands, such as at the call centres and sales channels.
In addition, he assured that those workers will be the first to be reinstated once the situation changes.
In seeking to explain this decision, he said, “As a private enterprise, these are the types of decisions that you have to make to ensure that you have a healthy business going forward.”
Burns noted that plans are under way to launch services to additional destinations in keeping with the airline’s aim of introducing a Pan Caribbean service.
“While we had launched five routes initially, we had a much wider scope; over the last three years we have identified over 50 routes,” he said.
He also revealed that REDjet is engaged in discussions with six of 13 countries in which to launch operations later this year; those routes will be announced within the next two months and will include routes from Guyana.
As to the effect the current challenges have had on the airline’s operations, Burns said, “We have made some minor changes but we remain committed to launching the Trinidad and Jamaica routes, and it is our intention to roll those countries out; on the structural level we have not made any changes.”
REDjet, the Caribbean’s first low fares airline was officially launched in Guyana in April of this year and its inaugural commercial flight arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) from Barbados on May 10, with 149 passengers on board, including top REDjet officials and representatives of the Barbadian Government.