The Editor, Sir:

This is a response to the article, 'Jamaica braces for revenue guarantee to airlines', published Sunday, June 15.

I know that stories are not in short supply about Air Jamaica's woes, its lack or perceived lack of customer service, fare structure, delays, 'Butch' Stewart, and the list go on. This story will serve to emphasise why we need Air Jamaica and should not be taken lightly. I speak of the route cuts and impending passenger guarantees that is being brought into play by many carriers across the Caribbean and as a result Jamaica. This at a time when we Jamaicans are abandoning Air Jamaica in droves for many other low fare or major carriers, depending on our location in the diaspora.

If we lose Air Jamaica then the other carriers will have us hostage to whatever demands they put on the government. Already the government is bending to some of those requests in order to fill hotel rooms with tourists. I know many will say that it does not affect them in any way, because they always stay by some relative, or friend and don't have anything to do with that.

The reality is that the airlines will be given the right to tax the Jamaican Government for every unfilled seat on a flight that enters Jamaica and also be given no incentive to give you, the traveller, a low competitive fare for your journey. Air Jamaica is our buffer zone because as long as we have them, then the airlines will have to tread lightly with that requirement.

Less competitive

Air travel will get more expensive and less competitive in the near future as they use the 'oil crisis' to plead for or justify higher fares. While things change, the more they remain the same, and we could return to the old days of air travel for the well-to-do and the wealthy. Allow Air Jamaica to die and you will pay for it dearly down the road. It is your choice, and you will have to decide what you want, reasonable fares or another chance to brag that you could afford the price to or from Jamaica while many other will not.

What about your family and friends in Jamaica who will see their tax revenues going to foreign airline carriers, while depriving them of more of the meagre money spent on social services. These guarantees rob Jamaica of precious tax revenue.

Fixable problems

Air Jamaica has got problems and most are fixable, if we support and put pressure on the Government, management, and staff to get off their butt and act accordingly. At the same time, we need to lose some of our misconceptions about the national carrier, that has been around carrying us safely, almost as long as we have been an independent nation. I remember in the '80s when airline giants Eastern and Pan Am folded almost overnight, and it was Air Jamaica that got us through the tough times, when the seat capacity dwindled overnight.

Sometimes when Air Jamaica did you wrong, it was out of their control; they probably saved your life, as I have many inside stories of flights that were delayed due to safety being the number one concern. I say fare revenue guarantees are wrong and Jamaica will pay dearly for the government agreeing to such usury, while allowing Air Jamaica to fail.

I am, etc.,

GARY WOODE

gary@bonienterprises.com

Via Go-Jamaica