THA moves to lease planes for airbridge

In a last-ditch effort to address the perennial problems on the domestic airbridge, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has initiated moves to wetlease two 60-seat aircraft from a Danish airline. The arrangement, which has to be approved by Cabinet, will cost Government some TT$2 million  a month. This was revealed by THA Secretary of Tourism Neil Wilson at yesterday afternoon’s post-Executive Council meeting press briefing. The two aircraft are owned by CIMBA Air out of Denmark, and the wetlease deal will be made through a brokerage firm, DRT Consulting of Holland, Wilson told Newsday.

The wetlease arrangement will be undertaken by BWIA. Wilson explained that only an operating airline could enter into such a wetlease arrangement, and BWIA was chosen over the Tobago Express. He also explained, “It’s going to cost the Government something in the region of (TT) $2 million per month, of which it is expected that Government would recover by airfares, $3.4 million.” The Tourism Secretary was however quick to point out that that does not take into consideration additional costs. “I haven’t added additional costs like landing fees and fuel costs, so I am saying that you might break even or even incur a small deficit,” he asserted. “And that’s the price you have to pay to keep the thing (domestic airbridge service) going,” Wilson told Newsday.