Winair up for new flight
contract with Montserrat
AIRPORT--Windward Islands Airways International (Winair) is poised to continue its daily flights to the volcanic island of Montserrat. The island’s government has indicated to the airline its willingness to extend the airlift contract for another year.
The current flight contract that allows Winair, which re-commenced fixed wing air service to the British Dependency in 2005, comes to an end on July 10. The new contract, once negotiations are rapped up, will start the next day, July 11, and continue until July 10, 2008, Winair Managing Director Captain Edwin Hodge told The Daily Herald.
Winair operated four daily flights into Montserrat from neighbouring Antigua. If there is increased demand for flight, other trips are put in, he added.
Asked if the Montserrat route has been lucrative for the airline, Hodge said this aspect could not be discussed at this point in the negotiations.
The island with a population of some 4,500 has been without fixed-wing aircraft flights for the eight years, due to the eruptions of the Soufrière Hills volcano, before Winair began flying the route. The airline had halted its flights to the island 10 years prior to the re-commencement.
According to Caribbean Net News.com, Montserrat’s government said in a liberalised environment, Winair has the right to request a fare adjustment and a flexible schedule under the new contract.
After receiving advice from the Air Services Monitoring Committee, the government is expected to agree to a moderate fare increase with the airline, to take into account rising operational costs. The increases in fares range from US $5 to $14 on all fares to and from Montserrat.
Minister of Communications and Works Idabelle Meade said the new arrangement with Winair will open up the market for other airlines to operate scheduled services in and out of Montserrat, and ferry operators to provide services.
