| Airline passengers on the Georgetown/New York route will no longer have to endure stopovers in Trinidad and Tobago, since Caribbean Airlines is now providing daily non-stop flights in and out of Guyana.The Twin-island state carrier has announced a revised schedule that will be implemented from January 15, through to February 4, 2015 because of increased travel demand. This new service also means that Guyanese will no longer have to disembark in Trinidad before their onward flight to New York. They will also no longer have to submit themselves to further security searches.00Along with Dynamic Airways, Fly Jamaica and CAL being the most popular on the Georgetown/New York route, the current air transport seems inadequate for the travelling public.CAL stated that, “The popular Georgetown/New York route is therefore increased to daily non-stops in both directions (Guyana to New York and vice versa).”Frequencies over Trinidad are also improved, the airline stated, with daily flights to and from Toronto, Miami and New York.As the only airline offering non-stops from Trinidad to London, Caribbean Airlines is increasing the frequencies effective February 4, 2014 to four weekly flights. The company has announced, however, the termination of the Toronto-Georgetown two flights per week non-stop service. This will be replaced by daily through flights in both directions effective March 1, 2015.CAL reported that with increased customer loads, due in part to being the first airline in the world to rescind the fuel surcharge, the company was pleased to announce the revised schedule which will be implemented, some in early January.“In addition to increased capacity and more non-stops, Caribbean Airlines says it is expecting major cost savings from a more efficient schedule that will see better utilization of the Boeing 737 and 767 fleets.Many of the changes will focus on the company’s Port of Spain hub at Piarco Airport, where improved connection times will make it easier for passengers to connect to and from various points in the network.Some of the new schedules include the airline’s launch of a new daily non-stop between Trinidad and New York featuring the first wide-body aircraft on the route and a new daily departure on the Trinidad/New York route which increases to three daily non-stops in each direction.Buoyed by the steep decline in its number one expense which is aircraft fuel, Caribbean Airlines says it is confident that the new schedule will build on the airline’s goal to achieve profitability. “The revised 767 flying patterns will see increased utilization and a more customer friendly schedule based solely on flights to/from its Trinidad hub.”“Improved schedules go hand-in-hand with various product enhancements seen this past year such as; improved in-flight entertainment with new wall-to-wall screenings of the latest Hollywood releases, introduction of free digital headsets in all classes, a complimentary rum cocktail courtesy of world-famous El Dorado Rum and Nestle Orchard, hot meals on longer flights, free first checked-bag,wholesale nfl jerseys, and of course our renowned “Warmth of the Islands”.”In early 2015, CAL promises to install digital in-flight entertainment players in the entire 737 fleet to improve the quality of screenings, while further enhancements to the airline’s product will be offered in 2015.Local aviation authorities have seen the change in CAL’s schedule as a plus, especially where the Guyanese, market it concerned. While challenges for the popular airlines, have seemed to be minimal this season, newcomer Dynamic Airways continues to struggle leaving many Guyanese passengers stranded and missing the Christmas holidays.With cheaper airfares, passengers on the Guyana/New York route have opted to travel with US-based charter service. The company has returned after an extremely rough start mid-year, passengers are still to see major improvement in the service as delays seem to be the company’s trend. While Fly Jamaica has offered increased luggage for free and CAL offering increased non-stop flights, Dynamic’s survival by cheap airfares will be put to the test should their passenger capacity fall. |
