Airline cries bias in aviation row

Chief executive officer of CARICOM Airways, Rory Chin-e-kwia, on Tuesday rejected claims by St Vincent Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves that his airline, which is seeking rights to land in Kingstown, is operating illegally, and has countered that his carrier is victim of a protectionist government.

He told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) he was convinced the airline was being denied route rights to avoid competition, particularly for the St Vincent and the Grenadines-based carriers.

Chin-e-kwia said CARICOM Airways, which is registered in St Lucia, was formed with the intention of connecting the region with direct flights at a higher frequency and reasonable fares.

"At the moment, that does not exist," he said, "It is time to get people of this region travelling again. The fares currently on offer are so high that people only travel when they have to, for meetings and emergencies."

Last week, Gonsalves said the airline had not been granted permission to land in his country because it was "in breach of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority operating procedures" and, as such, "is operating illegally".

Gonsalves' explanation followed a threat by St Lucia's Tourism and Aviation Minister Allen Chastanet to prevent two St Vincent carriers, including SVGA AIR, from landing in St Lucia if the authorities in Kingstown continue to deny CARICOM Airways permission.

"I am unable to understand why it has taken nine weeks for Vincentian authorities to approve the application from the St Lucia registered carrier to fly there when it is the country's tourism industry and commuters that stand to benefit," Chastanet told CMC.

But Gonsalves said there were still many concerns his administration had about the new airline, including the inadequacy of the insurance coverage, that is to say, the passenger liability and the single-pilot operator for the islander aircraft, which requires a double crew.

However, the airline CEO said that a lot of misinformation was being peddled by detractors of CARICOM Airways and that the airline was in possession of an air operating certificate from Suriname, a CARICOM member state, and was legally entitled to operate scheduled and charter service within Suriname and the Eastern Caribbean.

Chin-e-kwia said his company currently operates a fleet of islanders but was in the process of expanding to larger carriers.

He said CARICOM Airways was now in the final phase of officially launching its operations out of St Lucia and would begin scheduled services to Dominica by mid-December, while Grenada will be added by February 2011.

Chin-e-kwia said that had the routes right certificate for St Vincent been approved, operations would have commenced on Tuesday, November 30.

He described the island as an important destination market.

"First of all, there is significant demand for travel between St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and it's more economical to make purchases of fuel there, so that once we have the permission to travel there, we can lower our operating costs," he said.

- CMC