AS expansion works at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) head towards its year-end completion, the interest shown by another American-based airline to operate here is expected to materialise.

This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, who noted at the conclusion of a parliamentary tour of the CJIA on Friday that the executives of a “particular airline” had approached government officials in Miami, US, and indicated an interest in operating in Guyana.

While he did not name the airline, media reports in September of 2015 indicated that Greenidge met with executives of US carrier, JetBlue, on the sidelines of a conference in Florida that month.

On Friday, Greenidge said the interested airline’s team indicated that they will be looking at the traffic and facilities and will make the decision after acquiring additional aircraft. The company, he said, has indicated that while it had enough aircraft, it was examining other factors such as safety and fuel issues.

With the CJIA expansion nearing completion, that interest is expected to materialise.
Greenidge spoke of the concept of supply and demand at Friday’s event, noting that supply creates its own demand.
“That is if you have good enough facilities and prices are reasonable, you will attract demands,” he said, as he brought relevance to the issue of airlines’ interest in operating here.

He said if an airport has decent and attractive facilities, it will attract airlines. He noted too that such plans at the moment by any interested party will hinge on the prospect of more passengers travelling to these shores.
“It is going to be an attraction for airlines,” he said, noting that interest is also brought about as a result of activities in the extractives sector such as the petroleum industry and mining industry.

Greenidge cautioned that there are issues pertaining to security which affect the profitability or airline and he noted that airlines are fined and have to pay “heavy burdens”.
Over the years, start-up airlines as well as established airlines felt the brunt of the narco-trade in which they have been fined heavily in cases where illicit substances were found on passengers who used their service to travel to the US.
Major US carrier, American Airlines, is currently setting up ground work for operations here by year-end.

The CJIA expansion project also has a December 2018 deadline. However, in the months prior to the benchmark, various aspects of the project are expected to be completed.
Operations are expected to commence from the new modernised facilities such as the new departure terminal from where regional carrier, Caribbean Airlines, is expected to launch its operations soon.