SEVERAL commercial carriers including Eastern Airlines, COPA Airlines, American Airlines and Caribbean Airlines have made clear their commitment and anticipation to recommence commercial flights to Guyana, following the Government’s decision to reopen its international airports on Monday.
According to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Eastern Airlines is slated to have its first commercial flight into the country on October 13 and will be providing four flights weekly from Miami and New York.

Additionally, COPA Airlines has disclosed that it will be moving to have flights on October 26 with three flights weekly from Panama.
Meanwhile, American Airlines has a timeline that will see its first flight to Guyana on November 4 and will have six flights weekly from Miami while Caribbean Airlines has also disclosed that it will commence flight operations later this month as it finalises its schedule.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that several charter flights commenced operations on Monday.
Both the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Ogle International Airport were closed to incoming commercial and international flights since March 18 after Guyana recorded its first COVID-19 case on March 11.

The airports were initially scheduled to close for a two-week period. However, as COVID-19 cases in the country increased, the closures were extended, but growing demand for travel and pressing economic constraints, created by the COVID-19 virus and the necessary containment measures, have pushed the country to take decisive action, which, according to international reports is not unprecedented, amidst the global pandemic.

The airlines and passengers are mandated to adhere to strict COVID-19 measures before they arrive here. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, had said he is confident that there are stringent systems and protocols in place to minimize the possibility of cases entering Guyana.
“Preparation is good… we have thought out the system so nobody is going to come to Guyana without a negative PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) test… so that’s the first thing that people need to understand.

“Not because the airport is open you can jump on a plane and come here. No, before you can even get on the flight you are required to have a PCR test at the point of origin. That test would have to be sent to us here in Guyana for us to validate it, and once we are satisfied then we allow the airline to put you on the flight,” said the Health Minister.
If the PCR test was done within 72 hours of arrival, persons would be allowed to go to their destination in Guyana, but once it goes over that time, travellers will have to undergo a second PCR test at the airport.