The Caribbean islands, jolted by the damaging implications the threatened pilot strike at American Airlines could have had on tourism to the region, have put aside internal differences to pursue a unified commercial aviation policy.
Air Jamaica and Montego Bay Airport, now designated the carrier's hub for the Caribbean, are the focal points for this new strategy. R J Patterson, prime minister of Jamaica and chairman of Caricom (the Caribbean economic union) says cooperation among regional carriers must be a priority. 'Governments should become the facilitators in the process of finding a place for our carriers in the global environment in which the air transport product is forced to compete,' says Patterson. 'Caricom's own plan of action in the area of air transportation recognises the importance of the principles of easy access and equal opportunity to affordable air and maritime transportation.'
Albert Chappell, president and chief operating officer at Air Jamaica, says if there was one trigger for this new-found unity, it was the threat of a pilot strike at American Airlines earlier this year and the realisation of the devastating effect it could have had on the Caribbean's most important industry - tourism.
The new unified regional approach has also pushed Barbados into accepting Air Jamaica as its flag carrier. Dwen Arthur, prime minister of Barbados says his government is looking to take a stake in the 75 per cent privately controlled carrier, which is likely to come from the Jamaican government's 25 per cent holding.
The government of Trinidad and Tobago is also encouraging its national carrier, BWIA, to integrate with Air Jamaica 'as soon as possible'. A letter of intent has been signed by the two airlines to pursue a partnership agreement, and executives at Air Jamaica are keen to deepen the relationship. Talks along these lines have failed previously, but the resignation of BWIA's chairman Ken Gordon in July and the new policy of Caribbean unity now make this a more likely prospect.
There is also a growing feeling among the Caribbean governments that their position would be strengthened in any open skies talks with the US if they negotiated as a block.
The Montego Bay hub will also help the Caribbean's 'independence drive' from the US, according to Air Jamaica's chairman Butch Stewart. 'No longer will travellers have to go to American soil just to come back into the island,' he says.
From June, Air Jamaica began operating a wave of flights from nine US gateways that arrive in Montego Bay by mid-morning to connect with services to Antigua, Barbados, Grand Cayman, Nassau, St Lucia, and Turks & Caicos.
Air Jamaica has further strengthened its position to compete against American with the signing of a letter of intent with Delta AirLines to pursue cooperation in marketing and other services.
Karen Walker
Source: Airline Business
