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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Minister of Works and Transport Jack Warner has assured the low-fare airline REDjet that it will be cleared for take-off from Piarco International Airport in Trinidad by the middle of this month, around May 13.
Warner, together with officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority, met with REDjet’s CEO, Ian Burns and Business Development Officer, Robbie Burns, last week in Port of Spain to discuss the carrier’s entry into Trinidad and Tobago.
Warner told reporters, “There will be people who booked tickets who will be disappointed and perhaps rightfully, but the fact is that we have certain processes to follow and therefore based on that they won’t be able to start on Sunday as was planned.”
Warner said the Air Transport Licensing Authority is the committee responsible for issuing the commercial licence to REDjet and the Authority’s board will be appointed on Monday. He said the Board’s first task will be the granting of approval to REDjet after which the matter will be taken to Cabinet for approval. Warner said he hoped the process will be completed before May 15.
After the airline’s launch last month, Warner said he was in the dark as to how REDjet got permission to operate locally. REDjet was subsequently told to cease its advertising campaign until it had obtained the necessary approvals.
Thirty fire units battled the intense blaze after a small plane crashed into the yard of a home. It could take a year for the cause of the accident to be determined.
A veteran pilot died after he lost control of his cargo plane Monday and it tumbled to the ground, landing in an Opa-locka yard and exploding into flames.
The crash happened about 8:15 a.m. The plane, a 1957 Beechcraft, had just taken off from Opa-locka Airport for the Bahamas, carrying computer parts, Tupperware and other household items.
But the craft made it only a few hundred feet.
Authorities said the pilot called the Opa-locka tower at 8:11 a.m., saying he was having engine problems and was “going down.” His plane plowed into trees, a fence and two vehicles before landing in the yard of a house in the 15700 block of Northwest 37th Court.
The one person in the house was not injured, authorities said, although the home was left with smoke damage.
Fire burst from the plane, and flames shot upward from the wreckage for almost an hour. Thick smoke billowed up, obstructing traffic, and streets along 37th Avenue from 155th to 159th streets were blocked for at least four hours afterward. Dozens of nearby residents were evacuated.
More than half of the plane melted into ashes. Only small pieces of metal remained after fire-rescue units extinguished the flames.
It took 30 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units to bring the flames under control.
“It looked like a bomb went off,” said Keionna Collins, who was driving her husband to work with her children in the car when she saw the plane go down. “I got out of the car, but the heat was so intense, I had to get back in,” she said.
Residents finally were allowed back into their homes about 11 a.m.
The plane was owned by Aircap Management, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.
Lewis Trauffer, of Collingswood, N.J., told the Sun-Sentinel that the pilot was his brother, 64-year-old Harry Trauffer. He told the newspaper that his brother owned Aircap Management and was a practicing lawyer in the Atlanta area.
The brothers grew up in Collingswood, he told the paper.
Lewis Trauffer told the Sentinel that his older brother worked and saved to buy his first plane, a Piper Cub, at the age of 16 and went on to volunteer for the Vietnam War, where he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. and flew A-6 Intruders.
“The man could fly. He was an expert in difficult situations,” Lewis Trauffer said.
Trauffer’s stepson Eric Johnson said it was his stepfather who got him introduced to aviation. Johnson was 17 years old when he first flew with Trauffer in Atlanta.
“He just puts you at ease behind the controls.” Johnson said. “He’ll be missed.”
He remembers his stepfather as a kindhearted man who loved to fly planes and who always put the safety of other people before his own.
“He would do anything he could to keep everybody out of harms way, and that was evident in the way he avoided anyone else getting hurt in the crash.”
As for the cause of the crash, it may take National Transportation Safety Board investigators up to a year to figure out what went wrong, said Jose Obregon of the NTSB’s Miami office.
Miami Herald staff writer Diana Moskovitz contributed to this report.
Security has been beefed up at the Piarco and Crown Point international airports in response to travel alerts issued by the United States following the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Sunday.
Sources at Piarco airport confirmed that yesterday. Deputy general manager of security at the Airports Authority of T&T, Joseph Edwards, confirmed last night that security at the airports had been tightened. He said: “We have put our personnel on high alert. It will continue until we are satisfied the threat no longer exists. We have to be guided by what is happening in the international arena.” Meanwhile, Office of Disaster Preparedness Management (ODPM) chief executive officer, Dr Stephen Ramroop, also called for beefed up security at critical national facilities due to threats of retaliation from Islamic groups after the United States army killed Al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden.
Ramroop made the appeal in an interview yesterday after the opening of the Expansion of the Earthquake Readiness Capacity Building Initiative stakeholder consultation at the Chancellor Hotel and Conference Centre, St Ann’s. The US Department of State issued a worldwide alert to its citizens travelling or residing abroad about the enhanced potential for anti-American violence as a result of the counter-terrorism attack in Pakistan. US President Barack Obama announced Bin Laden was killed by US special forces on a compound in Pakistan. Bin Laden was accused of being the mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
A travel alert issued on Sunday by the Department of State said: “Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, US citizens in areas where recent events could cause Anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations.” Also, the Foreign Secretary of the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Britain asked for all embassies and high commissions overseas to review their security.
The FCO advised all British nationals overseas to be vigilant and monitor the media. Online news reports said law enforcement agencies around the United States stepped up security measures following Bin Laden’s death. Reports said in Los Angeles police were stepping up intelligence-monitoring, while in New York additional police officers were sent to subways, airports, bridges and the World Trade Centre site. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it would add more police at the facilities it ran, which included the airports, the George Washington Bridge and ground zero. Washington’s Metro Transit system also increased its security.
In Philadelphia, police were on heightened alert, checking mosques and synagogues and stepping up patrols at transportation hubs and historic sites. The travel alert statement added: “US Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. “These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. “In those instances, US Embassies and Consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to US citizens.” The 2001 terrorist attacks on The Pentagon and the World Trade Centre killed approximately 3,000.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Wednesday April 27, 2011 – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) has warned of the possibility of an outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), better known as swine flu.
The bug spread in a worldwide pandemic during the 2009-2010 flu season and left thousands dead.
Based on the occurrence of sporadic outbreaks reported in countries in the Americas since the beginning of this year, CAREC has recommended that countries in the Caribbean reactivate their National Preparedness Plans for the pandemic.
There is currently no outbreak in the region and health authorities have said there is no cause for alarm.
However, the various Ministries of Health in the region have advised the public to continue to practise proper hygienic measures, including frequent hand washing and covering the nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Persons who were experiencing fever, cough or sore throat have been advised to stay away from school or work until they are fever free, for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever reducing medication.
Those most susceptible to H1N1, especially pregnant women, persons with asthma and other lung conditions, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and impairment of the immune system, should seek prompt medical attention.
What is Influenza A (H1N1)?
Influenza is an acute viral infection that affects mainly the nose, throat, bronchi and occasionally lungs. There are 3 types and further subtypes of influenza – one such subtype is Influenza A (H1N1). The influenza caused by A (H1N1) is commonly referred to as “Swine Flu”.
What are the symptoms of this flu?
The symptoms of H1N1 Flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with H1N1 flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Also read on on How to track Swine Flu Globally
Children –
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin colour
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash
Adults –
• Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
Recommended care (Dos and Don’ts)
Do’s –
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water
• Drink plenty of water
• Take enough sleep
• Keep distance of at least three feet from a infected person
• Observe healthy diet
Don’ts –
• Visit crowded places
• Spit in public places
• Taking medicines without doctor’s advice
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday April 27, 2011 – REDjet has sought to assure consumers who’ve already booked Trinidad and Tobago flights that their bookings remain valid, even though the country’s aviation authority is still processing the airline’s application for approval to start the service.
The Barbados-based airline issued a statement yesterday in which it announced that the April 29 deadline for payment has been extended to May 7, a day before flights are scheduled to begin, to facilitate the delay in getting Trinidad and Tobago permission. REDjet also expressed optimism that it could start accepting payments before the end of the week.
“REDjet is giving all guarantees that, in spite of the delays coming out of Trinidad and Tobago, all persons who reserved tickets will not lose their seats,” it said. “Provided that the necessary additional clearances are given, the airline should be able to take payments as soon as Thursday 28th April.”
The company has also updated its website to inform customers of the change in the payment deadline and assured that “REDjet will be operating all flights as advertised”.
The airline is awaiting approval from the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCCA), which it applied to last Tuesday, after Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner said REDjet had not received the appropriate permission to fly to the twin-island republic even though it had been advertising and accepting bookings for flights since mid-April.
TTCAA Director General Ramesh Lutchmedial said last week it was highly unlikely that considering all the reviews that had to be done before REDjet could be given the green light, that approval could be given before next month’s scheduled start.
But REDjet is hopeful that it will get permission in time. Business Development Director Robbie Burns said in the statement yesterday that the company was committed to its promise to be a consumer champion and will work tireless to ensure that they’re not adversely affected or inconvenienced.
“We understand that there are legitimate concerns and, as such, are dedicated to building and maintaining consumer and market confidence. We are truly appreciative of the patience and support we have received and look forward to providing a safe, reliable and low-fare service for a long time to come,” he said.
So far, REDjet has received the required clearances from the other destinations – Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica.
REDjet said it was confident it would be able to operate those routes without any disruption.
Meantime, the airline made its first charter flight yesterday morning, transporting West Indies cricketers from St Lucia to Barbados to continue their home series against Pakistan.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday April 27, 2011 – It’s too late to be of any help in settling dispute over allegations made by Jamaican Shanique Myrie against Barbadian immigration officials, but Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has announced that cameras will be installed at the airport to prove or disprove any accusations in the future. In a pre-recorded interview televised on the state-run Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) last night, the Prime Minister said he had visited the Grantley Adams International Airport and conducted a comprehensive tour and there was consensus there that if cameras had been in place at the time Myrie said she had been verbally and sexually assaulted, there would not have been any scope for speculation. Myrie claimed that a female immigration officer searched her vagina and insulted Jamaicans after she arrived at the airport on March 14. She said she was refused entry into the country, locked up in a dirty room, and put on a plane back home the following day. “There will be cameras put where none are now so that in the event that anyone feels bold enough to make allegations as serious of those made by Myrie, camera evidence should be available either to confirm the allegation or to contradict it,” Prime Minister Stuart said. The Governments of Barbados and Jamaica are currently trying to get to the bottom of Myrie’s allegations, with the latter threatening to go to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) if the matter cannot be resolved on a bilateral level. The Prime Minister said the Barbados Government was “on top of the matter”. He said he had received a report of the investigation into Myrie’s allegations and it would be passed on to the Jamaican authorities. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on what that report has said, will be communicating with the Foreign Ministry in Jamaica. No obstacles will be put in the way of Miss Myrie if she wants to come back to Barbados and point out to the police and anybody else who the offending officer, as alleged by her, might be,” Stuart said. The Barbados leader said despite the Myrie case, he wanted to believe that relations between his country and Jamaica, and with the rest of its regional neighbours “will continue to be normal”.
AIRPORT (February 15 2011) -St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) has won a prestigious aviation award. At the annual Routes conference that was wrapped up on Tuesday February 15th in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, PJIAE came out as overall winner in the category South Central Americas & Caribbean. Other nominees in that category included The Princess Beatrix of Aruba, the Sangster International in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the Mc Carran in Las Vegas and the Tocumen in Panama. “This is truly a great honor,” PJIAE Interim Managing Director Mr. Larry Donker reacted from Santo Domingo. “To be named the best airport in our region by our airline partners is validation for all the hard work all of us at PJIAE –from Management to workers and partners- put into making our airport a Regional Leader.”
Mr. Donker explained that cupping the Regional Award is an accomplishment to be proud of. “We were notified a few weeks ago that we had been nominated by the airlines for this award and that we had even been shortlisted,” he said. Airlines considered the airport’s marketing activities, the marketing research, its joint communication campaigns with third parties, and its innovative use of technologies or techniques to support airlines.
“We were required to highlight our efforts in a 1,000 word presentation and our Marketing and Communications Department really did a superb job at that, considering all the activities we have rolled out over the past couple of years,” Mr. Donker said. The presentation made mention of the construction of the airport’s terminal building, its attendance and hosting of international aviation conferences, its inventive local marketing strategies and its airlift development and international marketing efforts that are being undertaken in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau. “We have been extremely active and that made us stand out amongst the other airports that had also been nominated,” Mr. Donker said.
The PJIAE executive commended PJIAE’s personnel. “This is a collaborative achievement, in more ways than one,” he said, explaining: “It shows again that the workers at our airport are truly second to none; and the airlines have recognized that. But also, from the moment we were notified of our nomination, the Marketing & Communications Department spared no efforts to make sure our presentation was of the caliber that wins.”
Mr. Donker expressed congratulations to the community of St. Maarten. “This is not just PJIAE’s victory, but St. Maarten’s,” he said.
It was the first time Routes Americas, now in its fourth year, is held in the Caribbean. Organized by Routes and hosted by Aerodom the conference closed off on 15 February 2011 in the Dominican Republic. It is a route development forum for airline, airport and tourist authorities.
It was attended by Minister Franklin Meyers, Tourist Bureau Director Regina Labega, PJIAE Interim Manager Mr. Donker and PJIAE Marketing and Communications Department personnel Ms. Norma Brill and Mrs. Daphne Roberts.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) – Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, is optimistic about the new arrangements being put in place by Caribbean Airlines to improve the services offered to Guyanese air-travellers. The new arrangements were tabled during a recent visit, last week, by senior executives from Caribbean Airlines including the new chairman, George Nicholas and vice-chairman Mohan Jaikarran. The executives met with President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn and Prashad. Prashad noted that the meeting was fruitful and expressed his satisfaction with the plans and projections that Caribbean Airlines has outlined, especially as it relates to Guyana and efforts to assist the Tourism Ministry in promoting tourism. During a press conference at his office on Wednesday, Prashad stated that Caribbean Airlines is exploring the possibility of flying from the recently upgraded airport at Ogle to Brazil. This step is also expected to increase integration between the two countries. He added that the arrangements proposed by Caribbean Airlines would be a good boost for more airlift into Guyana, especially during the peak periods, as more persons realize the tourism product. Caribbean Airlines will be offering direct flights, thrice weekly, from New York to Guyana since transiting in Trinidad and Tobago has posed challenges for Guyanese. This will increase competition among the airlines offering such flights and it is hoped that the airfare would also reduce. He pointed out that the possibility of having direct flights from Guyana to Toronto will be explored since there are existing daily flights that stop in Trinidad and Tobago. Persons have also expressed interest in having direct flights from London to Georgetown. Prashad pointed out that Caribbean Airlines has merged with Air Jamaica, which allows for a bigger fleet, and will also be adding nine new aircraft. This will realize the availability of more flights to and from the Caribbean. As it relates to Guyana having its own airline, Prashad explained that all avenues are being explored, while focus will be placed on ensuring that Caribbean Airlines’ promises are delivered. He pointed out that negotiations are still ongoing with a carrier to determine if a rent lease can be obtained and the cost effectiveness of bringing back Guyana Airways is also being discussed.
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Thursday February 3, 2011 – Grenada and the United Kingdom will today review an Air Traffic Services’ agreement, during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two states.
The agreement, first negotiated in 2007, gives the United Kingdom the right to designate carriers to service the Grenada/UK route. Grenada also reserves the right to nominate any regional carrier to fly between this country and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, the pact recognises the ‘Community of Interest’ principle, allowing Grenada to designate a carrier of any Caribbean Community (CARICOM) State, since the country does not have a national carrier.
Civil Aviation Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, Earl Charles, said the agreement falls under what is known as the Open Sky Conditions.’
It means that the national regulatory bodies of the two nations have limited intervention in the market operations of the airlines, allowing the market to determine the terms and conditions under which carriers operate, Charles explained.
“In other words,” he explained, “there would be no requirement for the airlines to submit schedules to the state for approval; nor can either state limit the number of flights and type of flights in operation.”
Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Peter David, said that Grenada is looking forward to renewing the agreement with the UK, especially since the European market, which includes the UK, is critical to Grenada’s tourism industry.
Minister David will sign the MOU on behalf of Grenada while the UK will be represented by British High Commissioner to Grenada, Paul Brummell.
Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Monarch Airlines are among a number of carriers originating out of the UK and servicing the Grenada market.
Heathrow airport has been accused of ‘exploiting’ travellers over its plans to raise its domestic passenger charge by up to £7.
The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) says it is seeking ‘further review’ from the airport over the April 1 levy hike, which will see the rate increase from £13.43 to £20.25 per passenger next year.
SPAA president Brian Potter said the increased charge would put further pressure on business travel budgets and damage the nation’s economic health by reducing demand for UK domestic flights.
He said: ‘Many passengers travel on split-journey tickets to get the best air fare savings, and these passengers will end up paying increased airport charges twice, when they already pay double air passenger duty.
‘UK domestic passengers do not use the same level of immigration and customs services as international passengers, so it is deeply unfair that they should be saddled with additional costs.
‘Heathrow Airport seeks to be the main UK transfer hub and these additional charges will not help, but rather give passengers another reason to think of using alternatives such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Paris.’
Last week, bmi also attacked the planned rise and warned that it is preparing legal action to block the increases. The airline, which is the second-largest slot holder at Heathrow airport, claims that BAA is ‘unreasonably discriminating’ against domestic operations from the airport.
Bmi chief executive officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said: ‘We are outraged at this BAA plan to increase prices. These planned higher charges are unjustifiable when domestic passengers do not use the same facilities as international passengers.
‘The charging structure from Heathrow is therefore favouring long-haul airlines and neglects the need of local British airlines serving the domestic markets.
‘The new charges will not only lead to higher prices for domestic flights but also price travellers onto other forms of transport which, on some routes such as Heathrow-Belfast, is simply not feasible.’
The airline has called on the Civil Aviation Authority to investigate the rise and says it will be ‘seeking legal remedies’ under the Airports Act 1986.
BAA, the operator which owns Heathrow airport, says the rise would bring the charge into line with the amount paid by passengers departing from other EU destinations.
A BAA spokesman said: ‘There is no material difference in the costs of handling domestic and European passengers.’