Caribbean Airlines to review airfares for Guyana route.

By Svetlana Marshall –

Amid allegations of abuse and exploitation as it relates to the exorbitant ticket prices levied on Guyanese passengers, Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) Chairman Philip Marshall said his company will rework its service and review its price structure.
“We have to re-architect our service to the citizens of Guyana. Guyana is a very important market for us… servicing the combined needs of the government and the private sector is extremely important,” Marshall said shortly after a high-profile meeting at the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry.

Marshall, accompanied by Caribbean Airlines acting Chief Executive Officer Jagmohan Singh, Airport Manager Carl Stuart and Corporate Secretary Nalini Lalla, met with acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali, Transport Minister Robeson Benn and Cheddi Jagan International Airport Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Ghir, along with executives of the private sector on Sunday ahead of the unveiling of a “crystallised agreement”.
The board chairman said CAL will not only strengthen its communication base, but with increased knowledge about Guyana’s economic development and needs, the airline would incorporate needs of the country into its strategic plan.
Customer service, in-transit process, and security checks of Guyanese passengers at Piarco International Airport, Caribbean Airlines’ capacity, airfare and its flag carrier status were the key issues placed on the table during the meeting.
Expectations
“The relationship between the government and Caribbean Airlines, I want to reaffirm is one that is positive, is one that is collaborative, is one that seeks to bring the best service and product to customers of CAL who, to a larger extent, are Guyanese,” Minister Ali told the press.
He said Caribbean Airlines’ flag carrier status was extensively discussed, with Guyana detailing its expectations.
“What it entails, what it means and how we can ensure that the flag carrier status works in the interest of all of us – CAL, the government, the wider region and the issue of customer service and pricing,” Ali noted.
In less than two weeks, the acting tourism minister said a report compiling the agreements made between CAL and the government of Guyana will be unveiled, noting that it was in the process of being finalised.
Within the agreement are the review of the price structure, improved customer service and added capacity.
In an effort to meet the customers’ demand, the airline will increase its seating capacity by 30 percent during the upcoming Christmas season, as well as make “a commitment on the review of the price structure to come up with a medium kind of pricing that would benefit all customers”.
The transport minister lobbied for the airline to capitalise on the opportunities that would be presented during the staging of the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
Private Sector Commission Chairman Ronald Webster and Public Relations Consultant Kit Nascimento were among private sector executives present.