Rebranded carrier,Eastern Airlines,will commence service between the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and New York’s JFK from March 5, 2020.

The company said in a release that that “we’re starting non-stop flights to underserved markets around the globe.”

Eastern noted that it is “going all out to help its customers meet their travel needs by offering several affordable options to commercial travel between GEO-JFK.”It said that venture will open all doors for travel in the Guyana market.

Last year, the authorities noted that Eastern Airlines is mandated to lodge two bonds totalling US$450,000 before it commences operations here in Guyana.

The airline had submitted an application to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) to operate scheduled flights between the JFK and the CJIA using its Boeing 767 200/300 series aircraft.

At a press conference at the Ministry of the Presidency last November, Director General,Joseph Harmon said while Cabinet approved Eastern Airlines’ application to conduct scheduled air services between New York, United States of America and Georgetown, Guyana, the bonds are a prerequisite given the history of the airline here.

“Cabinet approved the application submitted by Eastern Airline LLC and has agreed that the airline can commence operations on or before December 08, 2019 subject to the posting of a bond of US$250,000 to the Government of Guyana and a separate bond of US$200,000 to the Guyana Revenue Authority,” the Director-General told reporters.

Eastern Airlines, under its former brand – Dynamic Airways, had filed for bankruptcy in 2018. It was as a result of its financial challenges, that the Guyanese Government had taken a decision earlier last year to decline its application to re-enter Guyana’s market. Approximately six months after rejecting the airline’s application, the government has granted its approval but under strict conditions.

Previously, Eastern Airlines, which was headquartered in Miami, operated a charter service between Guyana and New York through an arrangement with Travel Span and One Guyana. However, Eastern Airlines folded in 2017 and was bought over by Swift Air.

Following a range of investment maneuverings, a document seen by this newspaper indicated that Dynamic International Airways had applied to the United States Department of Transportation to operate its Boeing 767 aircraft under the Eastern Airlines name.
The document, filed with the U.S. authorities, stated that Kenneth Wolley, a 38 per cent shareholder of Swift Air, became the 100 per cent owner at Dynamic Airways after it declared bankruptcy earlier last year. As a result, Dynamic Airways is able to use the ‘Eastern’ brand.