AIA debunks rumours of banned airline

THE ARGYLE International Airport (AIA) has never prevented an aircraft from landing and has never banned any airline from operating out of the AIA.

“This is an airport and airplanes are supposed to land,” Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the AIA Hadley Bourne told journalists recently while answering a question about EasySky.

EasySky, the Honduras based airline that began bringing scores of Cubans here last year, abruptly suspended its regular flights into the AIA around the latter half of 2017, leaving scores of persons stranded. Reports are that the company owes landing fees to the AIA, but the reason they abandoned the SVG route has never been officially stated. Despite repeated attempts by SEARCHLIGHT, the company’s Caribbean region representative Colin Ash never responded to calls made to his cellular phone.

The AIA’s CEO said he has no intimate knowledge about if EasySky will return to SVG, but noted that the AIA welcomes the carrier to return at any time.

“We have no problem once they adhere to all international requirements in terms of safety, aircraft operations….We have no objections. But no one has said anything to us that they are coming,” said Bourne.

He added, “they were not stopped and at no point was Amerijet stopped either…anytime you hear anybody in the media say that airport stop an aircraft from landing, you can add the rest on to that statement.”

Bourne’s mention of Amerijet is in relation to rumours a few months ago that the AIA had refused to grant permission for the cargo carrier to land.

“We have no objection to them (EasySky) coming back and I think that the businessmen in Middle Street missing that,” said Bourne.

In December, businessman Tony Sassine of A& T Store said that since the Cubans (brought here by EasySky) stopped coming here to shop, his and several other businesses have been negatively impacted.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) of the Argyle International Airport Hadley Bourne