Discussions ongoing to bring Air Canada to Guyana
CANADA’S largest full-service airline, Air Canada could be servicing the Guyana route in the near future, if discussions between local Private Sector and Canadian officials are successful. Chairman of Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr. Ramesh Dookhoo said air travel between Canada and Guyana is rapidly increasing.
“The Private Sector will be working with the Canadian High Commissioner to encourage Air Canada to come to Guyana, as we now have an all-time high in business travel between Guyana and Canada,” Dookhoo pointed out.
He said this initiative will serve to boost tourism and business travel to the South American destination.
Dookhoo said, from all indications, arrivals at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) have been increasing and attracting additional international carriers.
The Government of Guyana had said, on several occasions in the past that it welcomes any new air carrier that wants to fly the Guyana route, since competition will lead to lower airfares and more benefits to passengers.
Just last year, low-cost Caribbean carrier RedJet commenced flights out of CJIA to a number of Caribbean destinations.
Former Tourism Minister, Manniram Prashad had disclosed, last year, that discussions were ongoing with Jet Blue and American Airlines which were also interested in flying to this country.  
Additionally, talks were held with Suriname Airways, which has interest in the Paramaribo/Georgetown/Miami route.
The American company, Delta Airlines, which is one of the largest in the world, is already coming to Guyana.
The high air fares charged had, at one stage, led the Guyana Government to begin looking at establishing a national carrier, again.
Meantime, the Government has embarked on a major project to expand the runway at CJIA and, in 2011, Cabinet approved a US$138M design and construction contract with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). 
First announced several months ago, it is expected to include an extension of the runway to a total of 10,800 feet to accommodate large transatlantic aircraft such as the Boeing 747; a new terminal building; acquisition of eight boarding bridges and installation of other state-of-the-art equipment like elevators, escalators and x-ray scanners using three-dimensional technology along with flight information and security monitoring systems.
Once completed, the development would ensure that the CJIA is able to meet the needs of projected traffic for several years into the future and become a hub for regional and continental traffic.
The expanded facilities at the terminal are also expected to generate a wide range of economic activities and create business and employment opportunities for thousands of persons, both in the construction and operation phases of the airport.
Apart from CJIA, the Administration has also embarked on the upgrade of the Ogle International Airport to facilitate regional flights.