GOVERNMENT has agreed to accord flag carrier status to Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL), by which the airline can now provide direct flights between Georgetown and New York, Georgetown and Toronto.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon made the announcement yesterday at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, New Garden Street, Georgetown.
Government had earlier signalled its intention to provide Guyanese with adequate and affordable air travel in and out of Guyana, especially in light of the recent pullout by Delta Airlines. Delta officially announced last February that it was pulling out from the Guyana route.
Dr. Luncheon had explained that government has not placed any significant attention on re-establishing a government-owned international airline, as it usually desists from getting involved with activities that would force it to compete with players in the same sector.
The government instead prefers to use its energies to persuade the international carriers about those features of the Guyana market that would attract them to provide services from Guyana to destinations abroad.
Meanwhile, President Donald Ramotar had dismissed media reports that Delta Airlines was forced out of Guyana because former president Bharrat Jagdeo had been subjected to baggage checks by the airline.
The president had said that at no time did the Guyana Government move to have Delta out of the country, but in fact wanted the airline to continue operating the Georgetown/New York route.
“Guyana is asking them to stay… We would very much like them to stay because it’s a reputable airline. So it has nothing to do with us asking them to leave,” Ramotar had remarked.
The president also dismissed claims that Delta was pulling out of Guyana because of poor passenger response.
“The reason why Delta is pulling out cannot be because of the shortage of people travelling. From the time they started, they have been first in the 70s (percentage); and over the last few years, they have been in the 80 percent of being filled, so it’s a very good route,” he said.