Guyanese aviator Ronald Reece is working with his counterparts in Jamaica to set up a new airline which will operate out of the Caribbean nation with flights to New York and Toronto, Canada and connections to Guyana.

The new airline –Fly Jamaica Airways Limited- will operate out of the category one rated country within the coming months and the relevant documentation regarding its permit is being ironed out, Reece, the CEO of the airline noted.

He said that the company is awaiting its licensing from the Jamaican authorities and according to him its permit to operate to Guyana is being dealt with by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The airline is owned and operated by Jamaicans and Reece noted that the aircraft is owned by another company, Wings Aviation Inc, which is based in the United States and to which he is affiliated. The aircraft, which bears the registration N524AT, was once owned by American low-cost -charter company, ATA Airlines, a release from the World Airline News, stated yesterday.

Reece told Stabroek News yesterday that the airline will be based in Kingston, Jamaica and it will operate a Boeing 757 aircraft on return flights between that location and the JFK airport in New York with a subsequent connection to Timehri. There will also be return flights between Kingston and Toronto with a connection to Guyana.

Reece operates Wings Aviation Limited, which is the parent company of Air Guyana Inc, a local company which operates daily flights out of the Ogle Municipal Airport.

He said that Jamaica is ranked within Category 1 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) country -ratings for aviation operations and as such the company’s base was set up there. He pointed out that the United States and Canada only permit airlines which are in the Category One listing to operate as an airline to their jurisdictions. Guyana is listed in category Two.

Reece, who has been trained to operate Boeing aircraft and who is well known in local and international aviation circles, has been making attempts for a number of years to set up an airline here. Stabroek News had reported on his plans to operate flights between Guyana and the United States. However, while he has applied to the GCAA for an air operator certificate (AOC), his application was never acknowledged. At the same time Guyana’s category two rating has also impacted his plans.

Announcements on the progress of Fly Jamaica’s plans will be announced at a later date, Reece noted yesterday.