Guyana minister meets with airline stakeholders
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| Published on Friday, July 18, 2008 |
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GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): The travelling public has been complaining over the recent significant increase in airline fares and the concomitant impact it is having on them, leading to Guyana's Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad convening a meeting with stakeholders of the airline industry to discuss this and other issues.
“Our meeting here is to address the issues of not only high fares but people taking advantage of the situation…because of the complaints we have been getting. The government will not allow any airline or travel agent to rip off the consuming public,” Prashad said.
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| Minister Manniram Prashad with airline stakeholders. GINA Photo |
Managers from Delta, Caribbean Airlines, LIAT, Meta Airlines, and TravelSpan attended the meeting.
Delta Airlines’ General Manager of the local office, Junior Horatio said that they received the complaint yesterday about agents ‘hiking’ the fares and they will now launch a full investigation.
Prashad acknowledged that there has been a significant increase in air fares, however, he said that this is not only due to the rise in fuel cost but that agents have been taking advantage of the situation.
“They (the agents) are charging more than the airlines; some agents bought in advance, ‘block-booking’ of tickets and now they are selling higher than the price of the airline themselves,” Minister Prashad said.
“The ministry will not allow Guyanese consumers to be ripped off and that is why we are insisting and have agreed that the airlines will not advertise fares without the taxes… the advertisements must be clear.”
He announced that a meeting will be held with the travel agents to ensure that they also follow the rules and the fares they are offering are not higher that the airlines and called on the public to report instances of overcharging to the Consumers Affairs department of the Ministry and an investigation will be conducted.
Plans for increased flights were also discussed at the meeting; however, the airlines have opined that they will need to know the numbers and destinations before this can be done. Some of the airlines have reported that they are already fully booked for the CARIFESTA period. “CARIFESTA is right in the peak season and all the flights are fully booked, how much is CARIFESTA travel is something we are discussing,” Caribbean Airlines General Manager Carlton Defour said.
Prashad noted that the airlines have responded well as some have added additional flights. He indicated that he is proposing to the airlines to have charter flights. He disclosed that a participating country has contacted him to facilitate a charter for a 70-member contingent.
The Tourism Minister indicated that he has requested that the airlines accommodate passengers with their banners, flags, posters and other festival materials.
“We are working closely with them to ensure that they perform effectively during the peak season as it relates to baggage also…to not leave the baggage behind, as it is a tremendous inconvenience for passengers,” the Minister said. | | | | Reads : 231 | | | |
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