BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday April 12, 2011 – All systems are a go for the newest low cost air carrier in the English-speaking Caribbean to start flying from early next month.
An announcement made by Redjet chief executive officer Ian Burns on Monday morning, revealed that its fares will go on sale from Wednesday, April 13, and the first flights will launch on May 8. Destinations in this initial stage will be between its home-base Barbados and Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad.
In a message to Redjet website subscribers, Burns stated: “We know that so many you have all been eagerly awaiting our launch and the feedback has been massive. We promised not to disappoint and not only are we launching with fares from US$9.99 one-way excluding Government Taxes and Charges, but we are also launching 250,000 seats for US$49.99 or under!”
“This truly will be a REDvolution as we aim to lower fares even further and open more routes across the region. Join us on our mission to end high fares so that everyone can fly! Get online on Wednesday and get your hands on the lowest fares ever seen in the Caribbean and let’s turn the Skies RED!” he further enthused.
This announcement comes almost a month after Redjet and regulators exchanged views in the Barbados media over what was the hold-up for the granting of an air operating certificate for the four-year-old carrier.
When questioned in early March about the start-up of the low-cost carrier, Gabrielle Springer, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of International Business and International Transport, said: “We have to comply with international standards and go through all the relevant processes. If we don’t comply, we would hear from the tourism sector and the general populace that we did not ensure that the particular carrier was safe and secure to carry our local people and visitors throughout the region.”
She added that “if we don’t ensure we have done all of this and go through this process, Barbados will be in jeopardy. The regulations for airlines in Barbados are clear in the Civil Aviation Act, similar to the Barbados Tourism Authority act which outlines the standards that should be in place for all classes of accommodation. There are similar standards in the air transport sector.”
According to Springer, all airlines must comply and there are certain processes they must go through. She also stated that the length of time has nothing really to do with the Government or the carrier.
“It is a process that it has to go through in any country where an air carrier wishes to register,” the official elaborated.
However, Burns quickly followed up with a clear-the-air statement in which stated that the company had followed all required procedures and expressed some frustration with the delays.
“We would like to clarify that the process for certification and licensing began on May 25, 2010 after REDjet received confirmation from Government in April 2010 that it would be designated as a Barbadian carrier.
“To this date, REDjet has submitted all requested documentation to the relevant authorities and anxiously awaits further communication regarding final steps to achieving an air operator certificate...REDjet is committed to following the certification and licensing processes and simply expects that the time for completion of those processes should be made clear to REDjet or any investor seeking to establish an airline in Barbados.”
REDjet was founded in 2006 by Burns’ father Robbie with the intention of becoming the Caribbean’s first low fares airline in the mould of the Irish Ryanair or US Jet Blue. However the carrier, which is registered as Airone Ventures, has had a rough start to the enterprise after initial attempts to set-up in Jamaica ran aground despite having spent US$1 million on the start-up process in Jamaica. Speculation at the time was that authorities were reluctant to allow the airline to register in Jamaica, putting it in direct competition with the state-owned Air Jamaica.
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