IN view of COVID-19 measures enforced by the authorities, several domestic airlines have described the precautionary measures put in place by the authorities as “excessive,” noting that they are struggling to survive, even as they implement stringent measures to protect passengers and staff from the coronavirus.

According to a statement from the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana (AOAG), recent statements by Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) that the local carriers had increased their fares to unconscionable levels were based solely on a complaint by the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and that body’s complaint was made regarding flights to Region Eight by Air Services Limited.

The AOAG, comprising Trans Guyana Airways, JAGS Aviation, Wings Aviation and Roraima Airways (the latter who is also a member of NATA), said that its members have not increased their prices in spite of the restrictions imposed on the industry by the COVID-19 Task Force through the GCAA. “The fact is that the shutdown of almost all passenger operations in the interior have led to a more than 50% reduction of all flights and making the removal of VAT ineffective and leaving our members struggling to stay in business,” the aviation body said.

The AOAG said that it understands the concerns expressed by the APA and the government with regard to Region Eight food and freight supplies and have decided, therefore, to immediately look at introducing flights to provide relief in this area. The aviation body said its members, since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, have introduced stringent protocols to ensure the safety of our passengers, including 100% temperature testing of all passengers and staff; sanitising of our aircraft before every flight; the compulsory wearing of face masks and hand- sanitising before passengers and crew board an aircraft. All cargo is similarly sanitised, it said.

The association said that in spite of “these strict precautionary protocols being applied “the COVID-19 Task Force has further enforced a 50% passenger restriction, noting that it was initially set at 75% on all domestic flights.” In addition, the body said that the Task Force has stopped all passenger flights to border destinations, which, inexplicably, have included Matthews Ridge and Port Kaituma, even though these border locations were already closed off and a No-Fly Order was in place for all foreign travellers.

“The Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana has discussed these matters with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and has advised that the measures being enforced by the COVID-19 Task Force are excessive, given the mitigation measures already in place against the risk of spreading the virus, and that these measures have been taken without sufficient regard for the negative economic impact on the hinterland communities,” the body said.

The AOAG hinted at a government bailout, noting that while in Guyana domestic airlines are suffering through COVID-19 and government’s policing of the sector, in other countries, governments are moving to bailout airlines in financial trouble resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AOAG pointed out that while these restrictions are being placed on aviation traffic to border areas, there is ample evidence that there is little or no enforcement in place on the ground as passenger vehicles and boats continue to operate freely at these locations.