Tweet
<a href="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/JALPA--pg-4-tue_7423572" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pilots want to start own airline if no deal on Air J
Tuesday, February 16, 2010</a>
THE Jamaican Airline Pilots' Association (JALPA) said it will consider starting its own airline if it fails to acquire Air Jamaica.
But that option would not be exercised until all avenues have been exhausted to take over the national airline, which Government said it would be taking off its books by the end of March.
<span style="font-size: 8pt">Captain John Eyre (left), manager of training and standards at Air Jamaica;
Captain Russell Capleton, spokesman for the Air Jamaica Staff Acquisition Team and immediate past president of the Jamaican Airline Pilots' Association (JALPA); as well as
Captain Maria Ziadie-Haddad, secretary of JALPA, field questions during yesterday's press conference at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston. (Photo: Karl McLarty) </span>
JALPA said the starting of a new airline could, however, be a lengthy process as it would have to satisfy all the criteria required by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority.
Establishing its own airline, added the pilots, could also be further grounded if the Trinidad and Tobago-owned Caribbean Airlines, now in negotiation to acquire Air Jamaica, receives national carrier status.
According to Captain John Eyre, manager of training and standards at Air Jamaica, granting Caribbean Airlines national carrier status would prohibit any Jamaican from owning and operating an airline which would compete on the routes Caribbean Airlines is proposing to operate.
Captain Eyre was speaking at a press conference yesterday at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston.
"...They are seeking exclusive national carrier status which is a no no... (under the open skies agreement) and so they would somehow have to negotiate that with the US," Eyre said.
Describing the proposed sale as one of the biggest mistakes ever made by the Jamaican Government, Eyre said Caribbean Airlines was seeking to operate in and out of Jamaica and not operate for Jamaica.
JALPA, he told journalists, was ready with a business plan which would, among other things, identify airlines in the United States with which to partner.
"By tomorrow when we go to talk with one of our major investors we will have a plan which will ensure a number of things, keeping in mind that we are talking about an investment of over US$60 million, and any investor who is investing that amount of money would want to ensure growth because that is where he generates his money," he said.
Captain Russell Capleton, immediate past president of JALPA and spokesman for the Air Jamaica Staff Acquisition Team, said the association has a number of investors who were ready to pump money into the airline.
He maintained that firm offers were made to the Government, through its equity partner, indicating that the necessary funding was available to operate the airline.
JALPA's business plan, he said, was not based on sentiments as its investors were interested in operating a viable operation.
Among the plans put forward by JALPA is for an Employee Share Ownership Programme (ESOP) and an Initial Public Offering to be put in place within a year or two of acquisition.
Captain Maria Ziadie-Haddad, secretary of JALPA, said the association had already received thousands of signed applications from employees who are willing to participate in the ESOP.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010</a>
THE Jamaican Airline Pilots' Association (JALPA) said it will consider starting its own airline if it fails to acquire Air Jamaica.
But that option would not be exercised until all avenues have been exhausted to take over the national airline, which Government said it would be taking off its books by the end of March.
<span style="font-size: 8pt">Captain John Eyre (left), manager of training and standards at Air Jamaica;
Captain Russell Capleton, spokesman for the Air Jamaica Staff Acquisition Team and immediate past president of the Jamaican Airline Pilots' Association (JALPA); as well as
Captain Maria Ziadie-Haddad, secretary of JALPA, field questions during yesterday's press conference at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston. (Photo: Karl McLarty) </span>
JALPA said the starting of a new airline could, however, be a lengthy process as it would have to satisfy all the criteria required by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority.
Establishing its own airline, added the pilots, could also be further grounded if the Trinidad and Tobago-owned Caribbean Airlines, now in negotiation to acquire Air Jamaica, receives national carrier status.
According to Captain John Eyre, manager of training and standards at Air Jamaica, granting Caribbean Airlines national carrier status would prohibit any Jamaican from owning and operating an airline which would compete on the routes Caribbean Airlines is proposing to operate.
Captain Eyre was speaking at a press conference yesterday at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston.
"...They are seeking exclusive national carrier status which is a no no... (under the open skies agreement) and so they would somehow have to negotiate that with the US," Eyre said.
Describing the proposed sale as one of the biggest mistakes ever made by the Jamaican Government, Eyre said Caribbean Airlines was seeking to operate in and out of Jamaica and not operate for Jamaica.
JALPA, he told journalists, was ready with a business plan which would, among other things, identify airlines in the United States with which to partner.
"By tomorrow when we go to talk with one of our major investors we will have a plan which will ensure a number of things, keeping in mind that we are talking about an investment of over US$60 million, and any investor who is investing that amount of money would want to ensure growth because that is where he generates his money," he said.
Captain Russell Capleton, immediate past president of JALPA and spokesman for the Air Jamaica Staff Acquisition Team, said the association has a number of investors who were ready to pump money into the airline.
He maintained that firm offers were made to the Government, through its equity partner, indicating that the necessary funding was available to operate the airline.
JALPA's business plan, he said, was not based on sentiments as its investors were interested in operating a viable operation.
Among the plans put forward by JALPA is for an Employee Share Ownership Programme (ESOP) and an Initial Public Offering to be put in place within a year or two of acquisition.
Captain Maria Ziadie-Haddad, secretary of JALPA, said the association had already received thousands of signed applications from employees who are willing to participate in the ESOP.
Comment