New Air Transport board appointed; Redjet license its priority

Port-of-Spain: A new board appointed to the Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) will meet on Tuesday to make a decision on granting a license to new regional low-cost airline Redjet to begin operations out of Trinidad.

The board is chaired by Amrall Mohammed.

Last Thursday Works and Transprt Minister Jack Warner met with Redjet officials and anounced that the Civil Aviation Authority had given the all clear for the airline to operate but that final approval needed to come however from the ATLA and then the Cabinet. He had said however, that he saw no reason why the approval would not be given and that the airline should start operations on Sunday May 15th, 2011.

Minister Warner said today that the board has already been mandated to examine and make recommendations to Cabinet concerning Redjet's operations.

He told the media  that the board was constituted over a month ago but he took full responsibility for its late appointment explaining that he was caught up in attemptting to resolve issues with the board of Caribbean Airlines.

ATLA's Chairman Amrall Mohammed says given all that's been said about Redjet, he is assuring the public that the right decision will be made.  

Cabinet's decision on Redjet and ultimately the final one to give the airline the green light will be announced on Thursday. Redjet was originally due to launch its inaugural flight yesterday but was asked to hold its hand pending final approvals.