GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Regional carrier, interCaribbean Airways on Thursday officially launched its scheduled service to the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
The inaugural flight from Barbados landed to a welcome ceremony with government officials and aviation leaders.
The crew included Captain Peter Murray and flight attendant Alesha George, both Guyanese, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to opportunities for locals.
interCaribbean serves 28 destinations across 17 countries and territories. With Ogle’s central location, travelers are now just minutes away from downtown Georgetown.
Captain Jerry Gouveia Jr., Director of Roraima Airways, emphasised the importance of the launch to the country’s economy.
“Air connectivity to Guyana is crucial for economic growth, what we need in the private sector here are more outlets for our local businesses, our local people to export Guyanese products whether it is our agricultural products or services into the world and organisations like interCaribbean make that happen,” Gouveia Jr. said
He also highlighted that interCaribbean has put significant efforts into maximising Guyanese involvement in the airline by training flight attendants, pilots and engineers.
“They are giving opportunities for Guyanese to represent the country and represent the industry internationally,” Gouveia Jr. who is also the Chairman of the Private Sector Commission noted.
With the new service coming into Ogle more business opportunities will open especially for the private sector.
Founder and Chairman of interCaribbean, Lyndon Gardner reflected on the company’s journey in Guyana during his remarks. The airline began operations at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in 2021.
“Five years ago we made a promise to Guyana, today, the spirit of Guyana leading the way we have taken another step in keeping that promise,” Gardner said.
He explained that in 2020 the world was hit with the COVID pandemic, many airlines were reducing service and pulling back but interCaribbean made the bold destination to expand into the Caribbean.
“At interCaribbean we made a different choice, we looked south to Grenada, to Barbados and in December 2021, to Guyana and what we saw was not uncertainty but opportunity,” he stated.
The aircraft displays the Golden Arrowhead on its tail and ‘Spirit of Guyana’ on the nose and according to Gardner; “it is more than mental and paint, it is more than an aircraft, it is a symbol of what we believe the Caribbean is, one family and Guyana is an essential part of that family.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar, praised the addition of the new route, highlighting the rapid expansion of Guyana’s aviation industry.
Indar said the aviation sector in Guyana has been growing at a rapid rate and that the sector will transform Guyana. Direct employment in the sector stands at some 5, 200 and indirect employment is about 12,000.
“This airport – small yes – but is the busiest and it is because of the economic explosion that is happening in the country,” Indar said.
