REDjet Still Unable to Fly to Jamaica

REDjet Still Unable to Fly to Jamaica
(Caribbean360.com)

Even as REDjet took off from Barbados with its first plane load of passengers yesterday, it appeared that it was experiencing some turbulence in another one of its markets. The airline has informed customers who were planning to travel to Jamaica this week and next week that their flights have been cancelled.

“Due to political and regulatory actions in Jamaica beyond our control, REDjet cannot operate flights between Barbados to Jamaica between May 11 and May 24,” said the correspondence from REDjet business development director Robbie Burns.

“As a result, we regrettably announce that passengers booked on eight scheduled flights between Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica will not be able to travel as planned. No other routes or flights are affected by this decision and will operate as scheduled.”

REDjet did not specify what “political and regulatory actions” had caused the disruption to passengers’ flight plans.

As was the case with those affected by the delay of Trinidad and Tobago flights, customers have been told that they will be rebooked on later flights at no additional fee and offered a $50 voucher toward future travel, valid until May 2012.

The airline is still awaiting official approval from the Trinidad and Tobago authorities to begin flights from Sunday, a week later than originally planned. The country’s Civil Aviation Authority has already agreed to give REDjet the necessary journey permit but the Board of the Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA), which was appointed on Monday, is to discuss giving the airline approval.

REDjet had its inaugural commercial flight yesterday morning from Barbados to Guyana, carrying 149 passengers including officials of the airline, representatives of the Barbados government and journalists, along with regularly booked passengers.

Guyana has long complained about the high cost of travelling between that country and other destinations in the region. Tourism minister Manniram Prashad said REDjet should not be seen as an enemy of other regional carriers. The airline will fly to Guyana four times weekly but chief executive officer Ian Burns said that would soon increase to daily service.