Tourism secretary slams ‘outlandish demands’ by international airlines

Secretary of Tourism at the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Neil Wilson,  condemned the “outlandish demands” being made on small-island states by international air carriers seeking to serve these destinations. He revealed there was currently a proposal before the THA from a North American airline demanding US $22,500 in cash per flight to fly to Tobago. In another instance, Wilson said a regional airline was seeking US $8,000 “every time it stops in Tobago.

And half of the time, when it suits the airline, they just do not call at Tobago; thus destroying the viability of the flights and, by extension, the credibility of the destination,” he lamented. He further disclosed that a certain Caribbean island is currently paying US$50,000 per month to a US airline flying to that island. “The fact that the airline’s load factor is in excess of 70 percent makes this arrangement even more ridiculous,” he noted.  The THA Tourism Secretary made the revelations when he addressed a seminar on sustainable tourism at the Hilton Tobago on Friday. The session focused on “Opportunities for and Challenges of Sustainable Tourism for a Small-Island State” and was part of activities commemorating the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the Dutch in Tobago. “Holland-Tobago: A Salute To Friendship” was the theme of the occasion. Wilson noted that since early 2001 international airlines have exerted pressure on small Caribbean states “by threatening to withdraw their service unless subsidies, guarantees, and plain cash rewards were paid.”

He said while some airlines have shared the risk of operating flights, others have bluntly refused to consider risk-sharing. “In order to remain in business, several small-island states have had to dig deep into their coffers for funds to pay international airlines to provide these flights that are so vital to sustenance of tourism which, in most cases, is the only viable industry in those islands,” he said. He added that in many instances, much needed social programmes and even urgent national sustainable development projects in these states “have had to take a back seat in order to meet these outlandish demands by these airlines.” Wilson acknowledged that the airline industry worldwide was in serious financial trouble, with the recent increase in fuel prices only serving to compound the situation. “And so in order to enhance their bottom line, all sorts of erratic proposals are being advanced to these small and vulnerable states,” he declared.