SVGTA to name airlines flying into Argyle airport

An announcement is expected to be made by the middle of 2013, to indicate which airlines will be flying into the international airport at Argyle.{{more}}

Glen Beache, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA), made the announcement on Tuesday at a press conference.

The SVGTA has been charged with the responsibility of engaging prospective airlines, Beache said.

He added that the prospects are looking good so far.

“We have a good idea which ones will be coming in, but we prefer not to say that yet,” Beache said.

He added that the Authority has been speaking with several airlines.

“It’s not a matter that we have targeted a selected few…once you are willing to come to the meeting table, we are willing to speak to you to keep our options open,” Beache said.

But the process is not that simple, he said.

He said that among the things to be decided upon, were apron costs, frequency of service of the particular airline and accommodation for crew members.

“It involves all these things and these are just a few.”

According to Beache, when the announcement is made in relation to the airline, the relevant support to the airlines will also be made public.

“There will have to be some support there,” Beache said.

David Barrow, CEO at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados was recently quoted by the Barbadian press as saying that that airport was facing increased competition across the region.

Barrow singled out Antigua and St Vincent and the Grenadines as the two posing an immediate threat.

“We keep in touch with the airport authority in St Vincent and the other islands to find out what their plans are. It may be significant to Barbados in that we may lose some traffic and that is the point I was trying to make in terms of improving St Vincent’s capability to receive international traffic and large jets,” the article quoted Barrow as saying. (DD)