By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – iNews has confirmed that a review of the United States Department of Transport’s denial for Fly Jamaica to have direct Guyana – New York flights has yielded no change, leaving Fly Jamaica in the same position.
On September 30, the US Transport Department rejected the application of Fly Jamaica along with Caribbean Airlines (CAL), which sought permission to have direct flights between Guyana and New York. Fly Jamaica had subsequently petitioned the Department to review its decision.
In maintaining its denial, the department said it does not find that it is in the public interest to grant the non-stop flights sought by Fly Jamaica. This means that passengers using this service will have to in – transit in Jamaica before heading to New York.
According to documents obtained by iNews the department noted, “After reviewing the record before us, we fully endorse the Director’s statement of the applicable standards and his decisional analysis and public interest determination.”
When the application of Fly Jamaica was initially denied, the Director had said that “with respect to requests for extra-bilateral seventh-freedom turnaround service, the Department has historically viewed such requests as extraordinary and has granted such authority only when the circumstances presented on the record in individual cases show compelling public interest considerations.”
He outlined the criteria which the Department weighs to determine whether the public interest warrants approval of extra-bilateral seventh-freedom turnaround services.
According to the department, among those criteria is a demonstrable need for such service, and the Director found that neither of the applicants (Fly Jamaica, CAL) provided compelling evidence to show that such a need exists in the Georgetown-New York market.
The Department said following the review “we do not find now that Fly Jamaica in its petition has demonstrated a compelling need for additional Georgetown-New York services.”
