Is the arrival of REDjet a good idea?
Author : teriannTravel between the islands in the Caribbean can be very expensive.
A major reason for the expense is that there are often no direct routes so travellers seem to go ‘the long way around’ often having several stops before they arrive at their destination.
Recently there has been a lot of interest in REDjet, a low budget airline which is interested in flying to Trinidad and Jamaica. Both those countries are reviewing that proposal but of course the critics foresee problems ahead.
They think that REDjet will compete with Caribbean Airlines because of their ability to charge less.
I am all for healthy competition. REDjet already services some island routes such as Barbados so why not Jamaica and Trinidad?
Lower costs for tickets might also encourage more travel in the region which will ultimately build relationships with our Caribbean neighbours.
What are your thoughts on the issue? Let me hear from you!
Click here to read full article
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110714/cleisure/cleisure2.html
- Teri Ann Renee Paisley (Gleaner on-line writer)
Tags: airlines, competition, routes
The Gleaner reserves the right not to publish comments that may be deemed libelous, derogatory or indecent.
To respond to The Gleaner please use the feedback form.
23 Responses to “Is the arrival of REDjet a good idea?”
Leave a Reply
- Paper or plastic? How has Jamaica benefited?
- 7 ways to live Green!
- Pet Care Basics – How to keep your pet healthy!
- 10 things to consider when buying a car!
- Delivery options – Navigating the shipping world!
- Rolling with the punches! Businesses need to reinvent their products and services.
- Getting to the meat of the matter! Are vegetarian consumers being accommodated?
- Making financial goals that are attainable!
- The do’s and don’ts of using social media!
- How to enjoy your ‘staycation’!
Agriculture
Gavel
Have your say
Iconsumer
Motor sports
Social Impact
Sports
One overlooked problem is the exorbitant fees airline passengers have to pay to enter Caribbean destinations. Last year I checked out a fare from Barbados to Grenada and the fare was about $100 U.S. but the additional fees were slightly above U.S. $100. This is a half-an-hour flight!!! As a result, I have done two Caribbean cruises and stopped in several islands, paying minimal fees, if any.
This aspect has to be dealt with if we hope to have significant intra-Caribbean island travel. Going from one Caricom island to another should be like going from Kingston to Montego Bay. This situation is the next big problem for Redjet.
No safety record, nothing to go on, I would prefer to stay away even more since its Barbados based.
I see nothing wrong with it!.. if they have issue such as safety, they will soon realize that if any one else wont take them up on it I am sure that Jamaicans will. because as mush as some of us would like to have cheap fare, we will not tolerate deliberate unsafe airlines flying our skies!…
But as most business do if they are really in business to stay and grow and to make a name for themselves!.. they will adopt and change to suit their passengers!..
Neutral Justice;!!
Your comment has a undertone this is one of the problems with we people of caricom .more “since its Barbados based”
Small islands people think big,”some big island people think small”
To the reader who is claiming based on the fact that REDjet is based in Barbados, they would stay away…The airline was to be based in Jamaica, and due to the stupid bureaucracy & red tape that exists here they packed up & looked elsewhere…I don’t know when this country will ever get it together.
I’m glad the govt finally got some sense and is allowing some competition. If only they’d see sense and make Jamaica more amenable to business opportunities.
Aircrafts have mechanical issues every day, no matter how much you try to avoid it there are so many mechanisms on an aircraft it’s hard to avoid. With that being said, what does RedJet have as an alternate when an aircraft has a mechanical problem, remember they only have two! Are we going to face delays and cancellations every time?
Good news for the frequent traveler. Can someone
please tell me, is there such a thing as an exclusive Caribbean cruise, this involving multiple islands traveling from the east to the western Caribbean or in the other direction?.
If so, what is the name of the tour operator?.
Thanks I will be watching these pages for an answer.
All of this talk about safety was just a distraction. Caribbean Airlines did not want the competition of a low-cost airline as it gouges the consumer. it cost more to fly to Jamaica from Barbados than it does to fly from Barbados to New York. Thousands of Jamaicans live/work in the Eastern Caribbean and it is criminal as since the demise of Air J, CA is the only way to get from this side of the world to JA. Redjet is most welcome, it will certainly encourage more travel between the islands. Now my entire family can travel to JA to do business and see family more frequently than once every two years.
If Jamaica really want a free market economy then allowing balanced competition such as REDjet is good for the country and also it would be a good sign to investers.
If safety is such an issue then how comes the government never question those big name airlines that have many questionable issues?
Once the Pilots have the proper Type Rating for the aircraft plus a couple of hundred hours in that aircraft type it is safe to fly with them. Remember Air Jamaica did not just start flying overnight back in 1968 but did so with the help of Air Canada and BWIA which supplied and also trained crew. I am just sad that Jamaica did not have the foresight to give this fledging airline the chance to set up shop here in Jamaica and make NMIA their home base. Good luck RedJet I hope you will eventually expand to all the Islands, Central and South America.
Fantastic I welcome them with a huge smile. I visited Barbados last year on Caribbean Airline, and the price from Jamaica to there was unbelievable.
I’ve always been one to embrace our islands and opted to visit our neighbors instead of going to America and other countries. I will certainly get familiar with the Caribbean, courtesy to RedJet. Cheers!
Caribbean Airline your attempts to question the safety of the aircrafts, is just the traditional sour looser behavior, embrace competition. Its a called BUSINESS!
Its Barbados based So Jamaicans Stay Away. Its Not Cheap With Added Fees. They will Strip You Down In any Way
If it is that Redjet has been traveling to other Islands why are we so worried about safety and the competence of the Pilots?
In any cases whether or not it was Redjet or another airline, the would still be critics its inevitable. cheaper rates me more business once there is quality service, I am sure that over time, Redjet will expand there boundaries just like all other airlines that started “somewhere”, its a process and if they need the market then they will get it, they know how. All the best to Redjet,
Charming!!!I think not. Your comment is pathetic. And for the record, I am JAMAICAN. we cannot condone any undue pressure put on Jamaicans who travel to Barbados but if we are so intelligently different why are we beheading our people at such an alarming rate? and why is it that our people spew so much hostility at each other?
REDjet in the air is no different from a taxi company on the ground… all are machines manufactured at the hands of MAN and they are being operated by man. If we accept that our regulatory authorities are competent and they have given the greenlight, then let REDjet fly across the Caribbean and enable more of us to see and mingle with our Caribbean brothers.
I am not sure if my comment will be useful here, but I just wanted to say that I really like how you write, very easy to read!
Thanks Quyen keep visiting!
The (Almighty Bruce Golding) government didn’t want RedJet to be base in Jamaica because he wanted Caribbean Airline to be Jamaica national carrier (conman).I hope RedJet will soon fly to North America from Jamaica & give some of those theifing airlines competition.Good luck on trying to be consumer friendly RedJet.
I am from Barbados. Yet, I do not consider redjet to be a Barbadian airline. Why is it that we must classify CAL as “Trini” or Air Jamaica as “Jamaican”? Are we so insular and simple-minded in our way of thinking that we must even stake ownership over an airplane? How about we as Caribbean people just pick our airline based on customers service, route and best fare. Then, and only then, I would argue that you will start to see true competition within this air space.
To briefly comment on the safety issue. Can someone, (ANYONE actually), provide me with any info where Redjet had a safety problem? Call a ‘spade a spade’ people. The politicians delicately positioned the idea of ‘safety’ being the cause for the delay in granting the license, and the general public swallowed that nonsense, HOOK. LINE and SINKER. Wake up people and think for yourself.
The planes that Red Jet uses come from American Airlines and it was not until American Airlines threatened to sue that the powers that be backed off the issue of safety.
WELCOME RED JET AND MAY YOUR REIN BE LONG,PROSPEROUS AND SAFE.
Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
To Miss Teri Ann Renee Paisley, I would like to email you re the airline problem ie Air Jamaica / Caribbean Airlines debacle,competition loss of service for Jamaicans.The guaranteed revenues to American Airlines, and on on. I would surely like your views and a blog started on this. I think Jamaicans need to boycott Caribbean Airlines until we get proper service to Montego Bay and the type of pilots and flying service we are used to. Please can I get an email address to contact you at the Gleaner.
What an quality read!!! Thank you very much for sharing this with us.
I really wanted to post a quick word to say thanks to you for these lovely tips and hints you are showing at this website. My incredibly long internet investigation has at the end of the day been recognized with beneficial facts to write about with my companions. I would declare that we website visitors actually are unquestionably lucky to dwell in a fantastic network with very many outstanding professionals with beneficial pointers. I feel rather lucky to have encountered your web pages and look forward to some more awesome moments reading here. Thanks again for all the details.