Richard Skerritt Wants to See REDjet Back in Business

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt, wants Caribbean governments to reach out to grounded low-cost airline REDjet to ensure its return to the Caribbean skies soon.

Minister Skerritt, in Guyana for the 13th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, told journalists in Georgetown on Monday that there is a "pent-up" demand for air travel in the region, especially with the spiral cost for regional airlift.

Mr. Skerritt, who also chairs the Caribbean Tourism Organization, said high air travel cost will have dire consequences on regional tourism in the very near future.

He noted that REDjet’s recent suspension of its services, presents a valuable lesson to be learnt about the importance of affordable air transportation.

He wants regional governments to meeting the grounded airline’s officials and offered up the CTO to facilitate such gathering.

Recently REDjet officials met with Guyana’s ministers of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and Works to seek the country’s financial assistance in getting the carrier back in the Caribbean skies, however no definite position has been met.

REDjet suspended its operations early last month due to financial troubles, after it complained that it could not compete with other airlines that are receiving government subsidy, including the state-owned Trinidad Carrier Caribbean Airlines, which is receiving hefty fuel subsidy from the T&T government.

Trinidad is the only Caribbean country that revoked REDjet’s license after the airline announced it was suspending operations.

However the Guyana government, one of the strong supporters of the airline’s entry to the regional market, said it has no intentions of suspended or revoke the license.