Five decades go there were several major international airlines operating here. And so getting a flight into or out of Guyana was not a difficult proposition. Big names in the international airline business, like Pan Am, BOAC, KLM, Air France, and Cubana Airways etc. were servicing the Guyana route.
However, because of the policies of the PNC government and the economic deterioration here, these airlines were virtually forced to cease operations.
This made way for the local state owned airline, Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC), to become an international airline. However, corruption and mismanagement was rampant and the airline soon folded up. An attempt, through a private/public sector venture, was made to resuscitate the airline; however, that venture also failed.
Since that time, Guyanese have been at the mercy of mainly one airline, as several privately owned airlines which carried national flag carrier status also folded up after short periods.
Currently this airline has been giving Guyanese hell, as it left hundreds stranded in New York after deceiving them and treating them with utter contempt. Guyanese have been complaining bitterly about the horrible treatment they have been receiving from this airline, particularly from the Guyanese diaspora who visit their homeland. In fact, this treatment has discouraged many Guyanese who want to come on holiday.
What is worse is that the management of this airline is yet to provide an explanation for the gross disrespect and severe inconvenience to the stranded Guyanese. This is totally unacceptable; and our government should engage its counterpart in Trinidad and Tobago with haste, as the airline is state-owned, and demand a proper explanation.
Only recently, management officials were here and gave the assurance that irritants that face Guyanese who travel on the airline will be satisfactorily addressed; but here again, the same deplorable and disrespectful service is meted out to our people. Are they telling us that we are less important than other people.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad, said that the callous treatment of Guyanese passengers by Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) is unacceptable and the Government of Guyana strongly protests this kind of conduct.
“The first flight was scheduled to leave on Tuesday at 04:30hrs, which saw passengers checking in as early as 22:00 hrs on Monday night, only to be told, shortly before the departure, that the flight will be arriving later in the day, around 06:30hrs. Passengers waited patiently, but that flight did not materialise and, later in the day, they were told that the flight will depart at 18:30hrs, and again there was no flight, ” Prashad said
According to the minister, on Tuesday afternoon, just around the time of departure, the passengers were told that the flight would not be on schedule, and  will depart Guyana at 20:00hrs on Wednesday night.
As to the reasons given by CAL for the continued cancellations and delays, he noted that Hurricane Irene was used as an excuse, although it no longer posed a threat, as JFK was reopened since Monday night,
How much more worse this callous treatment of Guyanese passengers can become? Certainly not much more; and therefore the time has come not to strongly protest, but to take decisive action as well. In this regard, sanctions should be brought to bear on this airline, as well as financial compensation for the affected passengers.