BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SINCE in the first quarter of the year, discussions were surfacing about a new airline service that had been recently introduced to the Caribbean which was said to offer swift transport with remarkably low fares.
REDjet, a low fare carrier, has been operating in the Caribbean for a short while and has already swept travellers off their feet with their near to the ground ticket prices and high-speed travel services.
Christmas is fast approaching, and REDjet is already offering “Christmas Magic” with one-way tickets excluding Government taxes and charges starting at just US$9.99.
With ticket prices as low as those offered by the carrier, could one imagine what it would mean for the twin island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis if REDjet were to commence operations here?
As it currently stands, if one wishes to travel for a two week period in December, flights from St. Kitts to Barbados via one airline is roughly EC$1 500 to EC$1 600, another airline service offers tickets for just around EC$2 000, while travel expenses from St. Kitts to Guyana are at approximately EC$2 100.
Airfares from SKN’s neighbouring island Antigua to Guyana are as low as US$39.99 (approximately EC $108 plus tax). The same US$39.99 fares apply to trips from Jamaica to Barbados as well as from Jamaica to Trinidad.
With amazing prices such as these being offered for other islands, one can only imagine what prices would be like if REDjet were to initiate operations in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Apart from the strikingly low fares, the operation of REDjet in the Federation could also mean job opportunities for some of those residents who are currently seeking employment and even those who would like a change of profession.
This would also mean that persons who journey overseas frequently would be able to save a lot on travel expenses, not to mention those persons who have to travel to Barbados for the purpose of obtaining a US Visa.
It would also mean that those persons who always wanted to travel but did not have the funds to do so, would be able to because of the low fares that REDjet is proposing.
In July 2011, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and CARICOM Chairman, the Rt. Hon. Denzil Douglas said that REDjet expressed an interest in flying to and from St. Kitts and Nevis and that his Government has indicated that SKN is ready to receive them here.
“Our people need to be able to have alternatives and competition is important. We believe that it will not only improve on efficiency and reliability of other carriers, but to a large extent impact positively on the fares,” Dr. Douglas said.
He further explained, “We would want to have REDjet operate from Barbados to St. Kitts, from St. Kitts to St. Maarten and then back to Barbados and then on to Guyana. We believe that is a route that our people would love.
That is what we are working on.”
Sometime last week, news reports from Bridgetown said that REDjet was in discussion with the Government of Barbados to address the delay in approval for new routes, and Prime Minister Douglas enunciated, “I am hoping that after these discussions with Barbados are finalised we would be in a position to start our own negotiations with REDjet.”
REDjet is the Caribbean’s first low fares airline, and has launched six routes across the Caribbean. The airline is said to offer non-stop flights at the lowest fares.
REDjet’s initial airports of operation are: Bridgetown, Barbados; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Georgetown, Guyana; St John's, Antigua; and Kingston, Jamaica.
The company is privately owned and incorporated in St. Lucia. Its corporate offices are situated at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados.
