PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has taken umbrage at what he describes as the horrible treatment meted out to Guyanese at Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport where they are forced to intransit  on their way home or to other regional or international destinations.
Speaking at a press conference at the Office of the President on Friday, the President said this is the sort of undignified treatment to which Guyanese are subjected  by other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals at their airports, even though a number of regional leaders have spoken out against it.
He told media operatives here that passengers who would have passed security checks at other airports have to endure the process for a second time while intransit in Trinidad and Tobago.
The President said he recently spoke to Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Works, Jack Warner about the issue though he didn’t say what was the latter’s response.
“Guyanese don’t want to intransit by choice; they only go through because the flights come through there, but I’ve seen cases where elderly people, people with children etc, coming from New York or Miami to Guyana have to leave the aircraft for one reason or another and go through the entire security [check] again,” President Jagdeo said.
Expressing his disappointment that a promise to address the situation has not been delivered, and blaming  the misfortune on the absence of standards that lessen the burden on passengers, President Jagdeo said of Piarco: “It is the worse airport in terms of organization… It is unacceptable.”

Air fares

Always one to be vocal about Caribbean Airline’s monopoly on airfares, particularly with regard to how the fares affect Guyanese passengers, President Jagdeo said he found the accusation that REDJet practises  predatory pricing rather surprising. He said that the business model that REDJet uses is one that has been used by low-cost airlines around the world, as is the case with RyanAir, one of the most popular low-cost carriers.
Because travel from Guyana to Trinidad and Tobago at one time cost higher than it was to travel from Trinidad and Tobago to the United States, Government had mulled the resurgence of a state-owned aircraft if the situation continued.
REDJet entered the industry with an eye-catching fare offer of US$9.99 one-way, tax-free, and even provided customers with reasonable seating and baggage offers.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ian Burns said the new airline was established with the wellbeing of customers in mind and is thus committed to the mandate of providing low fares.
The issue of the airline’s entering the airspace of the region was raised at the 32nd regular meeting of CARICOM Heads in St Kitts and Nevis, and the unfavourable welcome it received from some member countries was also addressed.