Chief Executive Officer of REDJet, Ian Burns has disclosed that quite shortly Guyanese and Trinidadians will be able to travel to each other’s destination with the low cost airline.
Stopping short of giving a definite date for start-up of flights, Burns would only say that “it will be soon.” He was at the time Guest Speaker at a luncheon hosted by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GGCI) at the Guyana Pegasus on Wednesday 3rd, August, 2011.“I think the hold up in signing the paper work by the Trinidad Director of Civil Aviation Authority is because of the CAL 523 crashing landing that happened on Saturday, and that is understandable,” Burns explained.
The CEO, during his presentation, said that his airline is about making intra-regional travel more affordable to not only Guyanese, but all Caribbean Nationals.
Giving an insight into the airline’s performance since its commencement of flights between Georgetown and Bridgetown in January this year, the CEO said that REDJet has been able to sustained a 78% load factor, experienced a 70% market growth in 2 months (based on figures from the Guyana Tourism Authority) and based on other airline websites, created a 72%reduction in airfares for this summer as compared with the corresponding period in 2010. “We achieved a breakeven in only 4 weeks,” Burns disclosed while adding that the airline became profitable within 7 weeks of its operating between the two destinations.
REDJET boasts of a 99.5% on time performance and according to a market research conducted by the airline, 98.5% of its passengers said that they would recommend the use of the airline to their family and friends while 89% said that they were able to fly because of the low fare.
Meanwhile President of the GGCI Komal Ramnauth complemented REDJet on its operations into Guyana.
He also shared the view that because of the low airfare by the REDJET, travelling around the Caribbean has become more affordable.
“We are happy to welcome REDJet into our airspace, not only here in Guyana, but within the Caribbean Community; we are particularly heartened with the decision of the Trinidad and Tobago and the Jamaican Governments to grant landing rights to REDJET. This decision will definitely impact positively on the travelling public within the Region. Already some of us have benefitted from travel between Georgetown and Bridgetown,” said Ramnauth.
REDJet offers airfares from as low as US$9.99 for a one way ticket exclusive of taxes but Burns explained that as the seats are sold, the fares rise to as much as US$19.99, US$29.99 and up.