The Editor, Sir:

I am writing re the Friday December 7 article 'Private commercial airline hunts Jamaican licence ...' This may be a very good thing for the country without interfering with the national airline's established markets and gateways. In the article, it is indicated that the new carrier will focus on North America and Central America's gateways. This could see Jamaica and Air Jamaica taking advantage of this by creating a partnership. This partnership would see greater use of the Montego Bay hub and more flights for the Norman Manley International Airport.

To get to any country in Central America (with the exception of Panama), one has to get a connecting flight in Miami then on to their respective destination which increases travel time, airfares and the need to acquire a United States visa. Even the eastern Caribbean countries experience this dilemma and even in some cases, persons from the eastern Caribbean have to transit through Jamaica then Miami then on to their destination.

Partnership

Think of the partnership that could be formed whereby Airone Ventures has regular flights into Central and South America with either one of the Jamaican airports being the transit point to the rest of the Caribbean and North America and even Europe. Air Jamaica, of course, will supply a significant number of these seats needed for airlift of passengers to the various destination that it already plies with low passenger numbers. Just as the shipping ports are a hub for the Caribbean basin, why not our airports as well, given that we are strategically located and by far with the largest and most modern airports in the entire Caribbean. The infrastructure is already there.

I am, etc

OMAR AFFLICK

omar.afflick@gov.ky

Grand Cayman