– fare structure same as suspended airline

Government and Caribbean Airlines officials on Saturday agreed to have the Trinidad and Tobago carrier provide short-term accommodation for the stranded EZjet New York-bound passengers at the same fare structure.

At a meeting at State House with President Donald Ramotar and senior government officials, the airline also promised to put on additional flights within the coming week to supplement efforts, and as a medium-term measure, operate a dry lease aircraft from Georgetown to New York onto Toronto.

Caribbean Airlines Chairman Rabindra Moonan, in an invited comment, said that the accrued benefits from the latter plan will be passed on to the travelling public.

In wake of EZjet’s licence suspension, the chairman, Vice Chairman Mohan Jaikaran, acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Corbie and Airport Manager Carl Stuart met President Ramotar, acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn and other local officials for talks at the request of the Guyana government.

Caribbean Airlines is currently accumulating the passenger statistics from EZjet, and the Tourism Ministry, but according to the chairman, travellers can rest assured that they will be accommodated.

News of the EZjet licence suspension over fees allegedly owed to the aircraft’s lease company Swift Air has left thousands of passengers who made bookings with the suspended airline in despair and prompted the government to approach Caribbean Airlines.

President Ramotar said he was pleased with the positive response from the airline to hold fares on par with EZjet, and to include additional flights. He said the task at hand on the part of the local authorities is to expedite the process of quantifying the number of persons affected.

The new arrangement hinges on the provision of technical information for administrative vetting, according to Minister Benn, but given the urgency of the situation, all parties are counting on a quick response.

As passengers wait over the next few days, the public works minister is reiterating the call for patience.

The Tourism Ministry said it is estimated that between 20,000 to 30,000 passengers would have made reservations to travel with EZjet between November and December 2012.

Government, upon learning of the U.S.’s action to suspend EZjet, with immediate effect via the civil aviation authority suspended EZjet’s licence to operate scheduled air services on the Georgetown-New York, Georgetown-Toronto and Georgetown-Trinidad and Tobago routes, Minister Benn told reporters on Friday.

The minister said that government understands that the genesis of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s suspension resides with requests made via aircraft provider Swift Air with respect to delinquent payments. Swift Air is an American airline based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA that operates a fleet of business and commercial jets for charter and private use.