TRANS Guyana Airways (TGA), the aviation arm of the Correia Group of Companies (CGOC), will begin scheduled flights from Ogle to Bartica, via Baganara Island Resort from Wednesday, February 13. Passengers will be flown to Bartica in the mornings and return directly in the evenings. They will be taken to Bartica on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, leaving Ogle at 07:00 hrs.
The afternoon journeys from Bartica will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, leaving Ogle each day at 16:30hrs.
For the first time, too, persons will benefit from direct flights from Bartica to Kaieteur Falls via Baganara.
Vice-Chairman of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Mr. Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento hailed the development as a tremendous boost for international and domestic tourist activities along the banks of the Essequibo River as well as a new means of support for the gold mining industry.
The announcement about the scheduled new flights were made on Thursday by Mr. Frank Willison, consultant to the CGOC.
He spoke at one of the gazebos on the scenic Baganara Island Resort on the right bank of the Essequibo River just South of Bartica.
The Resort Manager, Mr. Kurt Jordan and Nascimento were part of the team who briefed the media on the arrangements.

Vagaries
Willison said TGA had decided not to schedule trips for Bartica during the morning hours because of the vagaries of the weather, including fog and low cloud cover which could cause delays in landings and other problems.
He mentioned that the cost of the boat trip to and from Baganara to Cool Breeze stelling at Bartica is included in the flight-ticket price.
So also is the charge for transportation into Bartica by bus from the airstrip there and vice versa.
Willison said the TGA flights are scheduled so they will proceed even if there is only one passenger on board.
“These will be strictly scheduled flights not charters. There will be no cancellations because there are not enough people for the flight,” he stated.
Nascimento, who is also the owner of Hurakabra River Resort, said he and other resort owners in the same area are convinced that the flights will have a very positive impact on tourism.
“Bartica is also a hugely expanding township and is the launching pad for the gold mining sector. These flights are going to facilitate the gold and diamond mining industry as well as the tourism industry,” he posited.
Nascimento said that the flights will make it possible for tourists to land at Baganara, spend a night or two there then move on to the other resorts along the river and enjoy their unique attractions then fly out from Bartica to Ogle.
“Flying is much quicker than getting out by boat, so these flights facilitate a far greater choice and capacity for developing tourism in this part of the Essequibo River,” he said.
Following the briefing at Baganara, media representatives were taken, by boat, on a 20 minutes trip to the Cool Breeze stelling at Bartica.
The TGA Office, which will be open for business on February 13, is located on First Avenue, Bartica.