Air Jamaica Supports Co-Operation between Regional Carriers – CEO

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Jamaica, Michael Conway, has dismissed claims that the national airline is not supportive of proposed co-operation between regional carriers.
Speaking at a press briefing on Air Jamaica’s Code Sharing Agreement with Virgin Atlantic for service to London at the Ministry of Finance and Planning on June 1, Mr. Conway indicated that, “not only is Air Jamaica not arrogant to the process of co-operation between the carriers, [but] we are in fact leading that collaborative effort.”
Highlighting areas of collaboration with other regional airlines, Mr. Conway referred to the recent staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean. “Through a collaboration of Air Jamaica, LIAT and Caribbean Airlines, we collectively and very effectively transported all of the teams, officials and sponsors to that very challenging and logistical event,” the CEO explained.
According to Mr. Conway, the discussion continues and representatives of the region’s air carriers would be meeting later this month in Barbados to discuss further collaboration.
Meanwhile, addressing the concerns of the tourism sector as to whether or not there would be a reduction in the number of seats available from London to Montego Bay when the agreement takes effect, Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies informed that Air Jamaica was seeking to address the issue to ensure that there would be an adequate number of seats to both Kingston and Montego Bay each day.
“We are looking to put in place flights between Montego Bay and Kingston and Kingston and Montego Bay to facilitate both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways to book each day to either city,” he informed. “So a passenger on British Airways would be able to fly Gatwick to Kingston and Air Jamaica would then take them from Kingston to Montego Bay,” the Minister added.
Air Jamaica recently sold its London route to Virgin Atlantic for 5.1 million Pounds sterling, a move, the Minister said, “that should put the national airline on a path to commercial success.”