Sale of Air Jamaica
The proposed sale of Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines continues to be in the headlines. This is a highly charged topic which is very sensitive to all Jamaicans. Air Jamaica has been serving the country since 1969 and thus most Jamaicans have grown up knowing Air Jamaica. Just about everyone has traveled on or knows someone who has traveled on Air Jamaica. There are many who would like to see the airline remain in the hands of Jamaicans. There are many who are opposed to yet another Jamaican company being sold to our Caribbean neighbour Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica was always seen as the jewel of the Caribbean and now has to be taking second place to our smaller cousin Trinidad.
Putting aside our sentiments the question remains “should the government sell Air Jamaica?” The government says that we have no choice but to sell the airline, that currently it is losing US$100 million each year. Given our dire financial problems it is no doubt true that we can not afford to subsidise the airline to this extent. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) agrees and has mandated the government to divest itself of the airline. It would seem that there is no option but to either sell the airline or to significantly reduce the subsidy to the airline.
In deciding whether to sell the airline one needs to consider another other questions. At the time of the proposed offer for sale in March 2009, Air Jamaica was responsible for bringing 31 per cent of all visitors to Jamaica. Let us say that it has reduced to say 25 per cent at the current time. The question now would be “can we afford to lose a quarter of all our visitors?” The obvious answer is no, so how do we address the sale of Air Jamaica. If the airline is sold we need to ask these questions :
1. How do we get other airlines to take up the slack?
2. How much will we have to pay them to provide the seats?
3. What will happen to the price of tickets?
4. What will happen if other airlines withdraw their services?
It is clear that this is not an easy decision to make so I encourage you to look at all the issues.
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I am sorry for the faith of Air Jamaica, but if the Air Line goes to the hands of T&T I will not support it and neither all of the other persons I have spoken to, I fly to Jamaica every 3 months and I do not support the other air lines, it simple means I would have to find Europe favorable, and worst of all if T&T change it’s name from Air Jamaica, to Caribbean Airline who is going to associate this name change with “The Love Bird, Air Jamaica”
Mr. Bruce or Mr Minister rethink your plan and don’t let the Jamaican people have to keep on paying for something of this size.
I have another idea, T&T will sell the airline to an Holding Company in a Flip or some other arrangement
we should not sell the airline to our competitive to the carribean we need to stand up and get over debt we can do it
we ca do it
why t&t please comment
I am a bussines person I traval to Jamacia twice a month from Ft Lauderdale Florida my concern is not the service but the on time or should say late arrival and later departures. other airline seem to keep more of a perfect scheduel than you perhaps you should re-vamp your on time and departure modifercation ..
Mr B Silvert
Economic decisions ought not to be tainted by sentiments. If the Jamaican air routes are perceived to be profitable, air-seats will be provided. Businesses\airlines operate to make money. If Air Jamaica had good economic forecasts, There would be a stampede vying to submit bids. The fact that such a stampede did not occur, is indicative that a small airline, such a Air Jamaica, with relatively short North\South routes, cannot be viable. The planes are under-utilized and administrative cost are too great a proportion of revenue. Until recently, Air Jamaica had too many route that were not economically viable – why?
During the past 12 months Jet Blue has begun flying to Jamaica. Delta has expanded service and Air Tran has started service from three American cities currently or formerly served by Air Jamaica. Yet, for many years we were fed the self-serving propaganda that we needed Air Jamaica to provide “airlift for the tourist industry.” If that were so, then the owners of the major hotels should be quite happy to provide the subsidy required to keep the “prettiest airline in the sky” and the “best airline to the Caribbean” flying instead of facing imminent closure.
Is Air jamaica being “sold” or is the airline being closed and Caribbean Airline granted the right to operate the few profitable routes that Air Jamaica now operate on such as Ft Lauderdale, New York and Toronto?
Economic decisions ought not to be tainted by sentiments. If the Jamaican air routes are perceived to be profitable, air-seats will be provided. Businesses\airlines operate to make money. If Air Jamaica had good economic forecasts, there would be a stampede of entities and persons vying to submit bids for the airline. The fact that such a stampede did not occur, is indicative that a small airline, such a Air Jamaica, with relatively short North\South routes, cannot be viable. The planes are under-utilized and administrative cost are too great a proportion of revenue. Until recently, Air Jamaica had too many routes that were not economically viable – why?
During the past 12 months Jet Blue has begun flying to Jamaica. Delta has expanded service and Air Tran has started service from three American cities currently or formerly served by Air Jamaica. Yet, for many years we were fed the self-serving propaganda that we needed Air Jamaica to provide “airlift for the tourist industry.” If that were so, then the owners of the major hotels should be quite happy to provide the subsidy required to keep the “prettiest airline in the sky” and the “best airline to the Caribbean” flying instead of facing imminent closure.
Is Air jamaica being “sold” or is the airline being closed and Caribbean Airline granted the right to operate the few profitable routes that Air Jamaica now operate on such as Ft Lauderdale, New York and Toronto?
what i am saying about selling the national airline to trinidad it useless,because if it sell there are alot people right now said they would not fly on airjamaica no more that including myself so you guys would be losing alot of business over sea.
Find it hard to belive that Soon Come Air Jamaica is still flying.Its the worst run company by Friend Of A Friend staff without any time management skills.Its a shame to carry Jamaica name on such a poor airline.Snatch off the hand of any fool company who offer to purchase.
I don’t think we should be selling Air Jamaica to Trinidad or to any other foreign entity! For too long our national airline have took up the slack where all other airlines have left us hanging! I truly think we should consider sellin to an entity who really has Jamaica and her tourism industry’s interst at heart. I do not think Trinidad has our interest at heart judging by the drastic cuts to routes once revered by Jamaicn travellers.
I see the sale of Air Jamaica as the final, and most convincing, evidence of the downward spiral of the Jamaican economy.
God Help us all!!
There is no point in trying to hold unto Air “loss” Jamaica.
We have mismanaged this airline to near death and now that the surgeon comes to perform surgery we are saying, leave it alone “its not dying”
We have others saying, do something illegal and what can even be considered to be corrupt, ie to do away with the tender process and turn it over to JALPA.
We run a airline, with twice the ratio of workers per passenger to world standard, and believe its ok and can work.
This proves to we that we know nothing about running an airline, yet should retain control of it, that’s crazy.
The one problem I have is giving the Trinis exclusivity, that is wrong.
It shows once again that our leader really have learned very little in terms of negotiation and protecting the interest of the country.
We simply cannot trust them with our future.
It will be a sad time if Air Jamaica’s colours are retired. The quality of service, the pilots and cabin crew are first class. To see a flight approach to landing at Heathrow a couple of years ago made me glow with warmth and pride for a country I love. I shall miss the experience and the lovely ground staff who got to know me both in Toronto and Kingston. A rare breed in a profession that is getting so impersonal one can feel ike cattle.
The question that should be asked are:
1. Can we afford the US$100 million per year bill that comes with AirJ
2. The fact that the pilots admit to presenting a flawed business plan also suggest that their future management would be questionable
3. Why didnt they bid when tenders went out – the argument that the debt was a part of it during the initial stages holds no water – as the tender stately clearly that the Govt had the option to include or exclude the debt.
4. What abou the tendering process which by law says that the govt has to see throught Carib Airlines first.
5. These investors (who would be majority shareholders it seems to me since they are putting up the bulk of the funds as admitted by John Eyre) that JALPA say they find (It sound like when SISta P said she found some monies)
I believe the travel route will enable a single air line in the Caribbean the opportunity to be successful. At the same time I understand Jamaicans sentiments towards Caribbean Airlines (CA), being Trinidad and Tobago own a pride issue. This move might be even more beneficial to Jamaica economy by attracting more tourists from other Caribbean islands. As a Trinidadian I am somewhat skeptical about the vague level of service level that CA must meet in order to maintain exclusive right of the nation carrier of Jamaica.
This service level can be manipulated easily by a hostile government/ workers. I hope that CA put a clause that if the Jamaica’s government decided that CA did not meet service level in the future that CA will be paid at least full value price of being Jamaica exclusive carrier and a fee to sell it only to Jamaica government.
I am a little concerned that a media house such as the Gleaner continues to get this thing wrong with statements like “sale of Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines”.
Please get your facts straight and stop putting out incorrect information. Read the Letter of intent !!!
Caribbean Airlines is not trying to buy Air Jamaica….they are buying ROUTES and Status (National Carrier) …… Air Jamaica is gonna be closed down regardless…THE BRAND IS STILL GOING TO BE KEPT BY GOVT.
The Real story should be the fact that if the deal with Caribbean Airlines goes through then no other airline can be given the National Carrier status for a pre-determined period of time (10 years i think) which is really silly. So even if the Pilots wanted to start a new airline they could not get national Carrier status (even if they got the Air Jamaica brand name) That is almost like the situation we found ourselves in after giving C&W a monopoly for so many years.
THAT is what you should really be looking into !!!!
Why don’t you ask about why the JALPA did not submit a proposal when the initial bid request went out….THOSE ARE THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD REALLY BE ASKING and digging into.
Do your homework …. you have a responsibility to provide your readers with FACTS.
Yes mi dear…we go deh an fly di Trinijam flag everywhere in jamaica…hmmmmm
Air Jamaica can not continue to receive Government subsidy. That much is clear.
Many Jamaicans do not want Air Jamaica to pass into foreign hands – especially Trinidadian hands. That too is chrystal clear.
The majority of Jamaicans travel with Air Jamaican usually out of choice rather than necessity. That may not be so clear but is generally accepted.
The sale of Air jamaica to Trinidad or other foreign airline will cause severe job dislocations for the current crop of Air Jamaica Workers. That too is obvious having been so stated by the propective buyers.
The record of Air Jamaica suggests that the current and past Boards that govern the airline have not done a particularly impreesive job. That is a huge understatement.
Well then, having said all that, and since the majority of Jamaicans have not been consulted on the fate or operations of the ailine but nevertheless have been made to pay for its subsidy whether it was privately run or Government controlled, let’s give the Airline back to the people. Make it a publicly controlled company whose Board can be elected by the share holders and thus will be responsible to the share holders, whose support will then come from the very people who own it, and which will have no or limited goverment ownership (a la the Caribbean Airlines deal). If the airline then continues to have financial problems the people who are paying for it will have more say as to what course of action is necessary.
Caribbean Airlines is the best choice for Jamaica. Unlike Air Jamaica, Caribbean Airlines wants an “equal playing field” and will not operate unprofitable routes. For example, American Airlines receives revenue guarantees in order to operate into Mobay from Chicago. Air Jamaica has been on the route for years and has lost money on it. Also, Caribbean Airlines has an excellent track record serving both the Trinidadian and Guyanese diasporas living abroad. I think the Jamaican diaspora would welcome a new efficient carrier that puts their needs first!
I sincerely hope the government will take a look at the site where west indies glass used to be,now a grave yard. It was bought by the trinis.Cement company was Jamaica Packaging’s biggest customer, they sold ccc to the trinis and now all their packaging comes from trinidad; jamaica packaging, another grave yard.
Air Jamaica is now being sold to the trinis. ANOTHER GRAVEYARD(in the making)!!!
The air strip in Portland is not economic mainly because the government, and some people with money is now fixing up the one in St. Mary to improve in coming owners, and visitors to Jamaica’s north coast. If Air jamaica is to be saved the government can retain their percentage, and let the pilots, and their outside source take over, and move Air Jamaica to vernamfield run way, and if Carribean Air lines want to come into Jamaica give them Norman Manley. The more the merrier, if Jamaica can respond to the demand to fly people from all over the world who don’t mind the “Violence” then so it should be. If that’s the only way to save the Love bird. Last but not least if the Pilots gets the cake then all of the staff, and worker must go on a financial diet, and let their children the planes eat good food and stay afloat, and compete with the others coming into Sangster’s, Manley, Oracabessa, and if the Port Land air strip comes into effect. Read between the lines: If so many air ports will be operating in Jamaica with in the next 5 years, then Air Ja. must, and can do well and eat a good food from all of this, and should stay in Jamaican hands.
The sale of AirJamaica must not be given to the Pilots of Jamaica, and their associates. Mr. Golding has stated CLEARLY to all Jamaicans, exactly what they need to come up with. in order to secure such purchase, and they have not done that. AIR JAMAICA was up for sale during the PNP administration, SO where the hell they were, until about DECEMBER 2009, when bids have been put in long before they had the brains to think of it. I and my family had very, very bad service three times with Air Jamiaca, and if they buy this Airline, for sure they would never get me back on Air Jamaica. They cannot mange an airline, that will be able to give good service.
Protecting national pride is the will of a resilient people. Yes, the Jewel of the caribbean. However, we must face the inevitable. The sale of Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines must be a pure business decision built on the premise of this government and country’s inability to carry this bagage through this dire economic times. Size of country donot matter in these things. If Trinidad and Tobago can afford to purchase the airline, atleast some people would still have a job…I hope
If Trinidad buys air Jamaica, this will help the Trinidad Government to get bankrupt like us, and Jamaica will then be able to get ahead of Trinidad. Look! Jamaicans are the smartest people in the Caribbean and if we cannot run the airlines profitable no one else can. therefore, I support the sale in order for our cousins to remain No 2 and Jamaica to remain No 1
I believe that in the rush for the government to sell air Jamaica. it failed to asked those questions and weigh them carefully!… Now here is another twist.to this whole cry over lost per year.One have to look at what is really happening with in Air Jamaica. and ask this question” I f it was true that Air Jamaica was in fact loosing money year over year, how come there is no break down as to which side of the business that is loosing this money and try to fix it .. by either cutting staff or have them become more efficient?..
Every time our so-called government constantly telling the jamaicans people that we have to sell out assets to either foreigners or friends!.. But they never come out and clearly outline what the real issue is!.. all they do is to generalize things. because they know that most Jamaicans cant read so they wont be able to ask the proper questions.. and those who can read. are sometimes involve in these selling schemes!… I would sat to all Jamaicans to Block the sale of the airline until we have a forensic audit to find out what went wrong and from when and why was it being allowed to continued! .
When there was nothing seem to be don about correcting the situation!… What next if a earth quake hit Jamaica like what happen in Haiti. ” are our politicians going to sell the island too. because whey don’t have money to put it back to order?..
I do believe its time for those old fort to be replaced. get read of those “PhD”(permanent head damage) fools.. PHD with out vision mean nothing. its just another license rob the people of a country!..
I am sure that all those big wig on wall street are all well educated!. and look at what they did to the world!.. and who get the money to repair things.. those same crooks!.. we need people who stop thinking of their political office and re-election and think and work for the people of the country.
So I want answer to why the lost was allowed to continue for so long with out restructuring?.. We have a management and an accountability problem in Jamaica when it come to our political leaders!.. once they get elected. they forget who they worked for!…
Let me begin by stating the degree of my disenchantment regarding the promise to sell our national airline. I am truly disappointed by just simply hearing about it, and moreso, to our smaller brother of the Caribbean state.
My first question is, what will the Jamaican government do with the money after selling the airline?
My second question is, now that most of the things of Jamaica are being sold, will the Postal service; police force, and the army be next?
What a shame on Jamaica.
1. How do we get other airlines to take up the slack?
You don’t need to get airlines to take up the slack. All the North American routes are profitable and Air Tran and JetBlue just launched new routes this year.
Airlines go where the money is.
2. How much will we have to pay them to provide the seats?
We are not paying JetBlue or Air Tran right now for the new routes so we will most likely not have to pay for the current routes.
3. What will happen to the price of tickets?
Ticket prices will not change because of strong competition between carriers and new carriers adding routes, especially the low-cost airlines like JetBlue and Air Tran.
4. What will happen if other airlines withdraw their services?
If other airlines withdraw their service we will still have guaranteed service on the critical routes to North America via CAL and other airlines will move in and take over the profitable routes.
As long as the route is profitable, it will have airlift.
If we boycott, we can’t complain when they withdraw their service.
So this means that I’ll have one less airline to choose from, meaning lack of competition and higher fares. Great idea!!!!!
i have no issue with them selling air jamaica to a trinidad company simply because it is obvious the current management is “top heavy” and no jamaican owner can’t “shape them up”, but a non-jamaican owner will not only shape them up but also make it profit making in 2 years…
Air Jamaica Another Option Bruce.
What the people of JAMAICA must know is that there is NO DEVELOPING COUNTRY IN which the IMF enters makes PROGRESS NONE. They have being in Jamaica before and leave it in a worse state as when they came and saw.
Putting aside our sentiments the question remains “should the government sell Air Jamaica?” My answer to that Question is a Big NO NO. The government says that we have no choice but to sell the airline, RUBBISH at the time of the proposed offer for sale in March 2009, Air Jamaica was responsible for bringing 31 per cent of all visitors to Jamaica that is a THIRD of ALL Visitor-There are over 10 airline/charter flights that flies to Jamaica. So the question is ALL 10 airlines losing money flying to Jamaica, I don’t believe so.
What Air Jamaica needs is good management and less interference from the Government and its cronies who are flying FREE Yes FREE.
Golding says currently Air Jamaica is losing US$100 million each year. It might be but for sure I don’t think ALL that money is being use by the Air Jamaica, my guess is that some of it is going into cronies pocket. Given our dire financial problems it is no doubt true that we cannot afford to subsidise the airline to this extent. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) agrees and has mandated the government to divest itself of the airline. My fellow Jamaicans what NEXT is the IMF going to tell Bruce Golding to Sell –JAMAICA as an ISLAND to the likes of Branson. It would seem that there is no option but to either sell the airline or Close it down with all the JOB LOSSES that goes with that. THATS A GOVERMENT WHO IS SAYING JOBS JOBS JOBS. What Golding needs to do is in deciding whether to sell the airline one needs to consider another questions/options THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, such as give the AIRLINE to a company to operate it on the principle like the Montego Bay Airport.
You see if the Golding people was not thinking of themselves and thinking of JAMAICA they would do the right thing since the route he is embarking upon will cause him to Take away ALL the DEBIT OWED by the Airline then give it to the Trinidadians so why not give it to a company to operate it using the BRAND AIR JAMAICA.
The reason people are not visitingJamacia is due to the crime rate going up. If the crime rate went down then i’m more than sure the visitors would increase. I’m all the way in Canada and hear how much things have changed.
The arguments are fine for mental masturbation. When the money is finished it is finished. A new path is needed.
We need to avoid re-writing history – for many years it was Air Jamaica that demanded that fares be kept HIGH, not low – and did they not get official pressure to push American Airlines to increase prices.
WE need to be responsible, behave and to organize ourselves so that we do not have to pay anyone to fly here but rather to be so very attractive that planes and people want to flock to our shores and to pay for the privilege to do so …… that is OUR responsibility. So when will we start?
Well well what can I say, Our Jamaican Government should be ashamed and embarres of the sale of our national airline to Trinidad and Tobago. the question to ask, can the Trinidad and Tobago Governmen run our national airline better than our Government? and if so our Government needs to be fired. All this is saying is, these old school politicians needs to step aside. They have sold off every thing on the Island. what they need to do is look at the man in the mirror and ask them selfs the question. What this is saying is that Our Government can’t even govern them selfs out of a brown paper bag. Shame shame.
Remember the Cement Company.Remember the Patties held on the Wharf.Remember the goods held in the Where Houses and is not sold.Remember you have a tourist industry that depend on a reliable airline to keep your economy going, they know that too,and by the way.Remember the natural gas supply to increase the Bauxite production which they promised they will supply, and they waited until the time runs out for the billion dollar investment.In the end they says no.Manythings you manufacture to sell them they copy it and then tell you we do not want anymore because we have our own, and you still trust these people. When will you learn.If the economic plane is in a nose dive you will have to pull the leaver up to get it back on track but this is not the way.
The staff of air jamaica wants to buy the airline and the government has refused. Why? my guess is that they want to do another under the table deal just as how they sold the london route to virgin atlantic. The government is not for the people.
nationalism, nationalism, nationalism, 3 of Jamaica’s national symbol would automatically remove from the air under CA administration, OUR NATIONAL AIRLINE, OUR NATIONAL FLAG & OUR ADOURABLE NATIONAL BIRD THAT DOCTOR BIRD on the tail of our airlinewas a sight to behold in the air, from 1969 these sign were jamaica pride in the air.Now this sell out & unproductive govt, sees no alternatives but to eradicate Jamaicans home & abroad of their national prides, in a simple & easy way. HUGH LAWSON SHEARER MUST BE TURNING IN IS GRAVE.
As a Jamaican both by birth and at heart. I do not think that we should sell our National Airline – Air Jamaica, to either Trinidad or any other country. This is Our Carrier, and we should do whatever is necessary to keep the airline.
If the Pilots and the Air Jamaica staff want to own, manage, and are financially able to keep the Airline, then they should be give First Priority. Why is the Government so bent on selling our airline to Trinidad? Didn’t I hear on one news report, that they were actually “giving away” same to Trinidad?
Why? Jamaican government, isn’t it time we as a People and as a Nation, that we do Right by our Country and keep what is rightly ours. How come our other neighborhoods are not doing this? What happened in the past to cause us to have mismanaged this Airline so badly, that it’s now become an Albatross about our necks? What did we not do right? Is this fixable? As a Nation, can we do this together? May we please look at this internally and try our best to fix it.
Why are we so Quick to hand over our problem to another nation. As one person asked, will it now cost us more to bring visitors to the island? If so how much, have we even taken time out to look at this?
Jamaican government, what do U all stand to profit from this agreement that the rest of us won’t! Why don’t we believe in ourselves and those in our nation.
Haven’t our Pilots done well to represent us, both here and abroad. Haven’t our Flight Attendants and the Staff the same. So why do we dessert them when they need us most? Give them the Opportunity asked for, if they fail, we look elsewhere. It can’t be that we’re putting the cart before the horse, and saying to Trinidad, if U fail, then our Pilots will have the airline! This is Ungodly, “Pasin krisen dem pickney fus!” We ought to take care of our household first!
No we try our own People first, and if, big if, they fail, and I personally don’t believe they will, then we give it to another country as clearly we cant manage.
My suggestion is: The Pilots get it first! They are Jamaicans. When we put our heart to do anything in this nation, whether “good” or “evil”, we do it well. Isn’t this who we are as a Nation? God Help us all to make the Right Decision in the Best Interest of our Our Country for once in the Lives of any Government that I’ve come to know in this country, and I’m 45 years old. – Still of the opinion that when people come into power in this nation, its no longer “what can I do for my country, but rather what can my country do for me”. This is a sad but very true opinion, and I’m not the only one that shares it, most Jamaicans do! PLEASE GIVE THE PILOTS THE CHANCE THEY ARE ASKING FOR.
Regards,
Andrea Henry
It is indeed a tough decision to make,ok, we are losing US$100,000,000 each year with Air Jamaica, but 25% of our visitors travel on the said airline, but how much is that 25% contributing to Jamaica, compared to a loss of US$100,000,000?…This is no attack on your article, I really want to know.
Its a matter of national pride, Air Jamaica should always be owned by Jamaicans. I think that every effort and even sacrifice should be made in order to keep Air Jamiaca, Jamaican.
Air Jamaica has made us proud . It has one of the safest record in the industry.
Imagine the socio-economic impact on our pride, tourism etc.
Its a matter of national pride, Air Jamaica should always be owned by Jamaicans. I think that every effort and even sacrifice should be made in order to keep Air Jamiaca, Jamaican.
Air Jamaica has made us proud . It has one of the safest record in the industry.
Imagine the socio-economic impact on our pride, tourism etc.
To not have our own air line will be a great loss.
Is the government directly earning US$100M every year from the 31 percent of tourists quoted in the article? If the actual earning by the government is not greater than this figure. Then it makes no business sense maintaining the arline simply to carry these tourists at the cost of US$100 M
no the government should not sell air jamaica,they should try and keep it,air jamaica is the best i travel with when i am going home just one straight flight,now what i have to use other airline which is not straight flight and suffer,what next the government going to sell, i hope the government take this into consderation seriously.
i think we need to keep airjamaica the way it is .the only thing the goverment need to do is to cut slow traffic route. like what he is doing now jamaican we need to support our airline moore. like they said u never know what u have untill its gone.love my airjamaica still the best in the caribbean.
The Founding Fathers and Mothers of Jamaica
The editor: Sir or Madam, please let me share with others and reminding them some of the things Jamaican once Owen.
The founding fathers and Mothers of Jamaica must have turned in their grave to see what they have toiled so hard to achieved over the years to show recognition of the Jamaican people has returned to where it all started from.
We once had two buildings call the glass house, one which is the ministry of Education, the second was the five storey building in new York, new York Manhattan U S A, a building with the Jamaica flag flying and the catching symbol of the love bird on it.
That was not the only buildings that Jamaican Owen around the would.
What had happen to them all divestment?
Divestment is all we Owen now.
Air Jamaica: is the last one, I am totally against the divestment of the last icon we Owen.
Government
On the other side, the government cannot find a good manager that can manage the airline day-to-day operations in a viable means to take the burden off the taxpayer.
Which taxpayer is paying big bucks to manager only to set in an office?
These manager should give accountability to the Jamaican taxpayer why the air line that he is responsible for is neglected to goes into bankruptcy
The airline was calling out for help along time a go, I need a good management structure, government but no one listen to the cry of the airline.
But it is taxpayer money so why should I care.
It has just hit the government that there is a hole in the pocket of air Jamaica, because the rescission in the economy showing up the hole. Divestment is not the only way out; Jamaica will have to find oil in Jamaica to get another airline.
We can find a good manager in Jamaica mr Goulding, which will do the work and take us out of all the death.
We need a manager that fly on the airline and see and hear what the customer needs. Stay at the check in desk to see what take place there. Stays at your office make calls to the customer services and tickets desks to get the reaction of what taken place there. And most of all stay in touch with the people that flies with the airline.
It needs another try that is all we have leave in the name of Jamaican to be proud of.
Thanks
The question has never been whether or not to sell Air Jamaica.
Both Golding and Shaw cleverly continue to frame the discussion in a manner which suggests that the supporters of the JALPA option are opposed to the sale of the airline.
On the contrary JALPA wants to buy airline free of government participation!!
The question is which entity would best be able to preserve the integrity of Jamaica’s tourism industry as well as most of the jobs of the present employees: the pilots or Caribbean Airlines?
Why is it that Jamaicans were not allowed the opportunity to bid for the airline? why advertise Government of Jamaica property for sale only the overseas papers and not also in the Jamaican media? Is is that you do not want Jamaicans to bid?
How would the principle of parity/equity permit a closing of the gates to a Jamaican entry while changing conditions for those already entered?
What guarantees do we have that Caribbean Airlines will operate in Jamaica’s best interest as opposed to that of the Government of Trinidad that owns the Airline?
Why is it that giving away the airline is among the primary options being exercised by the government without allowing the workers and the wider Jamaican community to enter into a national effort to save the national carrier?
Firstly, to be able to use the 31% statistics on visitors to our island using Air Jamaica, as an argument that if Air Jamaica were to no longer exist, we would automatically lose 31% of our visitors, you would also have to know that all the other airlines competing on the same routes as Air Jamaica were operating those routes with a 100% load factor, which I am sure is not the case.
There would be no need to get other airlines to “take up the slack”. They are in business to fly as many passengers as they can get, it just makes business sense. If there is a demand for seats to Jamaica, the Airlines will increase capacity to meet the demand. What our government should do is twofold. 1. Go all out in promoting Jamaica in our traditional and non-traditional markets alike and 2. Create a competitive environment for local and international airlines.
There are many other tourist destinations where these countries don’t have their own national carrier and experience robust visitor numbers annually, Barbados and Bermuda to name a few. Use the money saved from divesting Air Jamaica and further develop our product…yes our beautiful island.
The selling of Air Jamaica is dead wrong, its like selling your last name or identity.
I as a UK Citizen born of Jamaican parentage I am appalled that the sale of the National carrier Air Jamaica is being considered!!
Is there no room for a well packaged and part JA Gov financed management buyout of the company??
I really would question just how passionate the JA Gov and people really are about this issue!
A National airline after all is a symbol of the Nation and its people is it not?! It is also the Global representative of the nation.
Once its sold…you will never get it back!!
Imagine that,
Selling out such assets as a country’s airline is really outrageous,If the government of jamaica had not allowed themselves to be ruled,governed and led by these fat cats overseas goons of leaders,jamaica would be much better off today on the level of financial/monetary needs.
During the 1970s the jamaican government took bribe from uncle sam to kill out the jamaican herb crops that was the main source of top dollars on the island,uncle sam know that the jamaican herbs is the best,now they want jamaicans to travel abroad to buy the same herbs for medicinary purposes,so jamaica is facing the aftermath for fighting against rasta people herbs.
all other air lines have nasty flights. one,two and three stops, taking anywere from 5 to 24 hours to reach jamaica. who in there right mind will travel to jamaica under those cond. NOT ME. jackie