Dear Editor,
In a letter which appeared in SN on October 28, Mr. Bisram concluded that the collapse of GAC/GA 2000 was due primarily to poor management and political interference.
Further, he claimed that had its lame duck NY Station Manager been given a free hand to run things and his advice and those of his NY travel agent buddies been heeded the airline would have been rescued from its ultimate demise.
Most airlines in the past several years have been operating in turbulent weather. Air Jamaica, LIAT and Caribbean Airlines would not have survived had it not been for the injection of large Government subsidies.
Worldwide, Air India, Japan Air Lines, British Airways and American Airlines among others have been accumulating large operating losses despite the fact that these airlines have some of the best management teams in the industry. Recently, Delta Airlines merged with Northwest Airlines probably hoping that the economy of scale will return it to profitability.
The major reason for these losses is because the airline industry is highly competitive with too many airlines chasing a dwindling revenue base and with their high operating costs particularly for fuel it is extremely difficult for them to be profitable.
Therefore, it is inconceivable that Mr. Bisram and others felt that GAC/GA 2000 could have survived this brutal environment if it had good management and no political interference while operating two planes with high overheads and other costs. The Government of Guyana understood this after North American and Universal Airlines ceased their operations and wisely declined getting into the airline business despite advocacy from various quarters.
Finally, I was perplexed that Mr. Bisram, who claimed that his advice and recommendation could have saved GAC/GA 2000, lost money on purchased tickets. It is sad that he did not know that the major credit card companies would have covered his losses if he had paid for his tickets using their cards.
Yours faithfully,
Charles Sohan
Bisram just found something 2 write about
the Miami route killed them
It was the Columbian anesthetic that killed them combined with poor management.
This writer made a mistake by grouping GAC with GA2000 together and he should not have done that. GAC was Government owned while GA2000 was privately own. GAC was sold to supporters of the PPP and and given the name GA2000. this whole deal was Political and had many other different undertones.
Fully agreed Pepie and many other i am sure can confirm what you have stated.
Attaboy Pepie !
Well for GAC to have 500 employees and have only one plane seems outrageous. The other side of it is that the new owners thought running an airline is like selling rum, unfortunately it takes a little more brain than that.
I hope to see Guyana Airways, or some national carrier raise from the ashes one day, or why not give Caribbean Airlines flag carrier status? They have been with us through it all, be it sometimes with a bad attitude. At least we will have competition on the direct flight to New York, and Delta’s service is less than worst.
GAWFA ! What is outrageous is that jokers like you comment on issues of which you little. GAC operated in the local market and the international market. Define the local and international market, if you can. Go!
Since you are the expert and you feel you can decide what people can and cannot say why don’t you educate us all, and getting into a discussion with you is far below me.
We do not have a national airline. The present recession is not affecting Guyana, never had much, so there was not much to loose. When u land at Timeheri, get off the plane and run like hell into the surrounding bushes, they will not find u.
These are some of the things that I tell people who are not familiar with Guyana.
I also tell them of the vast resources, rum, gold and diamond that the counrty has, the neumerous hoildays we have for each religion.
I would wish for Guyana to turn the corner in our lifetime.
Do any of u out there think this possible?
Kenneth – That was pretty funny! “When u land at Timeheri, get off the plane and run like hell into the surrounding bushes, they will not find u.” I don’t know why I found what you wrote so funny but I can’t stop laughing.