EZjet’s inaugural flight from Guyana to Toronto, Canada, took off yesterday, as the airline continues to expand its services. A brief ceremony at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, was hosted to mark the occasion. There were 215 passengers onboard the B767 aircraft as it departed at16:00hrs.
EZjet Air Services Inc, which began operations here in December 2011, has now added a third route to its destinations, offering non-stop flights on its Toronto/Georgetown route.
In remarks, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag) Irfaan Ali, congratulated the airline and stated, “It gives me great privilege to speak today at this launch that would see the return of a direct flight from Georgetown to Toronto and Toronto to Georgetown”.
The minister noted that “the journey here was definitely not an easy one”, with discussions starting months ago.
He also took the opportunity to congratulate the Canadian High Commissioner for his steady support and input.
He disclosed that the High Commissioner has not only been helping them in this aspect of the tourism market, but on many other initiatives that will be unfolding within the next few months.
“In August, we will have Miss Canada 2012 and a full crew of Canadians coming to Guyana to put their faces to destination Guyana to market Guyana. They will create more than 39 episodes of Reality TV to be broadcast using the social media network, touching more than 800 million potential customers,” he disclosed.
He said the Tourism Ministry is in full support of any such investment that opens up access and opens up opportunities to have an expanded market.
He said that since its launch, EZjet has transported approximately 31,000 passengers to and from Guyana, and the Canadian market is estimated at 50,000 passengers.
“We are confident from all the feedback that we have got that this market is going to grow tremendously as a result of introduction of this new airline,” he posited.
Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn said the airline is moving apace to ensure development of the industry.
It is significant, he said, since the Chief Executive Officer of EZjet, Sonny Ramdeo, is a Guyanese “who is interested and involved in investing in his country, coming out of the diaspora”, which is bringing positive benefits.
Benn assured, “We are fully committed to ensuring that we have a new airport building, a new expanded runway, a safer arrangement, and that we are committed to working with operators, like EZjet, to provide safe, efficient, and cheap but competitive air fares to and from Guyana, and that we are able to move fairly freely”.
Delivering a brief address, CEO of EZjet, Ramdeo, said they are very excited about this venture, and the airline has additional plans to make Guyana a destination which attracts a lot of tourists, so that “people who have been overseas for many years can afford to come back here”.
Also among those present was Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, David Devine.