Ensure air bridge efficient

THE new nine member board of the Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) has been told to ensure operations on the Trinidad and Tobago air bridge are efficient, even if it means granting licences to other airlines to operate the air bridge. The stern mandate was given by Works and Transport Minister Franklyn Khan yesterday when he installed the new board by handing out letters of appointment at his Richmond Street office. Khan also advised the board to look into the issue of unfair competition and charter operations. In addressing the board members, Khan noted that there have been numerous complaints about the “unsatisfactory level of services” on the air bridge. He said the complaints were made by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), hoteliers and the general public. He said government was mindful of the importance of the air bridge, and was “committed to provide safe, regular, reliable, cost effective and efficient service which satisfies the demand.”

He told the members, “you must therefore examine the performance of the current airlines on the route to determine whether the conditions subject to which the licences were granted, are being satisfied, and to take appropriate measures to maintain a satisfactory level of service, even if it means granting licences to other airlines on the air bridge.” ATLA’s Chairman, Ramsaran Bissessar who has returned to the post for a second term told reporters that up to September 30 when his term expired, there were no new applications by any airlines to operate out or into TT. Khan also told members to examine the issue of charter operations, and to work with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to complete “a charter policy that is in line with the global developments in the aviation industry and which strikes an acceptable balance between the commercial interests of the scheduled airlines and that of the charter operators in the same markets, taking into account the over all national interest.” He said work on the policy had begun and expressed optimism that the matter would be resolved shortly.

Khan said the proliferation of charter flights between North America and TT, referred to as “schedulised charters” has resulted in several complaints from the scheduled airlines, particularly the national airline, BWIA. Regarding the issue of fair competition, Khan said notwithstanding provisions in the Fair Competition of the Caricom Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA), regional air carrier LIAT “maybe subject to unfair competition by another airline flying its routes.” He said that has resulted in LIAT being in a financial crisis which has caused Caricom governments to provide cash bailouts.
He advised ATLA that in “granting operating licences to air carriers, they should impose and enforce conditions to prevent all forms of discrimination, predatory pricing and unfair competitive practices.”

He suggested that ATLA “submit proposals to the Ministry for the updating and strengthening of the Licensing of Air Services Regulations in keeping with global changes in the aviation industry.” The new ATLA board is chaired by Bissessar with Deputy Chairman attorney-at-law Ernest Koylass. Members are Dane Stephen Wilson, Kelvin Sergeant, Sonia Francis-Yearwood of the Ministry of Works, Ramesh Lutchmedial, Director General of the CAA, Rosaline Chinnia-Ramdeen, General Manager of the Airports Authority, Samuel Henry of the THA and Neema Persad-Celestine of TIDCO. Their term of office is for two years. They were appointed by President George Maxwell Richards.