American Airlines begins New York/Georgetown flights
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, December 19, 2019
American Airlines, one of the largest airlines in the world, has debuted its non-stop flight from New York to Georgetown with daily flights between the JFK and Cheddi Jagan International airports.
The fully booked inaugural flight landed at Timehri around 3 a.m. Thursday.
Prime Minister, the Hon. Moses Nagamootoo, who was an outgoing passenger on another flight, said the development allows for more competition and indicates that Guyana is now a preferred destination.
According to the PM, he hopes it results in lower fares for travellers.
“This is wonderful news for all the people who commute between the United States and Guyana, particularly Guyanese. Because you have already American Airlines connecting Miami/Georgetown and now Georgetown/New York so you will have more Guyanese visiting home, there is competition,” PM Nagamootoo said.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has signed agreements with 18 countries, including several in Africa and Europe, to operate flights. According to the PM, this means Guyana is also an attraction for tourists and business people.
Ryan Stuart, one of the arriving passengers and a Guyanese residing in the US, praised the new service saying it will cut down on travel time.
“My father lives in New York so it’s like super convenient, so that’s fanatic. It’s less time to travel, so I think it’s really great and I was also on the first flight so that’s great,” he said.
Omnauth Singh, who is here for the Christmas holiday, noted that despite some delays, he was happy to have landed safely and praised the in-flight service.
American Airlines has been plying the Miami to Georgetown route for just over a year with their service deemed to be exceptional.
The daily flights are scheduled to leave JFK at 6 p.m. and arrive at Timehri at 12.40 a.m. the following day. The return flight leaves CJIA at 1.35 a.m. and arrives at JFK at 6.29 a.m.