REGIONAL: Suriname denies request from CAL to resume flights

SOURCE: CMC –Suriname, still peeved at the treatment meted out to its nationals by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL), is reported to have denied the airline’s request to resume flights to the Dutch-speaking country.

“As long as Caribbean Airlines does not fix its issues with its passengers and the travel agencies, it will not receive permission from me to resume operation. Suriname is a country where rules apply and order prevails,” said Albert Jubithana, the Minister of Transport, Communication, and Tourism.

CAL, which since late last year has been announcing the resumption of flights to several of its destinations, has so far not yet responded to the allegation by Suriname.

Suriname said that the airline, unlike others, did not look after its passengers who were stranded here when the airspace was closed to regular commercial flights in March 2020 as part of the measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Media reports here said that since Suriname re-opened its airspace and regular flights have resumed, several international airlines have resumed their operations, but that Caribbean Airlines has not yet received permission to resume flying the route.

“She never came back to pick up her stranded passengers. She never spoke again, not even a letter. SLM and Fly All Ways made sure that the stranded people could leave,” Jubithana was quoted as saying by the online publication, dwtonline.com

He said that the airline is indicating that it will resume flights between the Zanderij and Piarco International airports on January 18.