STILL WAITING: No refund so far for REDjet passengers

Passengers who were affected by grounded by low-cost airline REDjet, say almost one month after the airline ceased operations, they are still awaiting a refund of their ticket money.

Meanwhile, employees at the financially-troubled airline have been told they will receive their salaries next week after more than two weeks of waiting.

The affected passengers complained of frustration as they are constantly told to “come back next week” when they visit the airline officve for their refunds.

The airline when announced that it was ceasing operations temporarily last month, promised passengers a full refund, however according to the passengers ” its a royal run-around” to get their ticket money.

Meanwhile REDjet employees, who were paid up to February 25, are quoted as saying they had been informed that payment for February 26 to March 16 would be ready next Tuesday.

The Barbados-based airline announced last month that it will cease operations temporary and according to officials, the carrier was in an “uneven playing field since it was competing with government-subsidised airlines in the region.

Subsequent to the announcement, the Barbados government suspended its Air Operators Certificate (AOC), followed by the Trinidad and Tobago’s revocation of its licences .

The airline is now seeking a meeting with T&T officials shortly to discuss the licences.

However Trinidad’s Transport Minister Devant Maharaj has blanked that request

A statement from the Ministry of Transport said that Maharaj “has not agreed to meet with the officials at REDjet as per their request until they have secured the AOC from the Barbados Government”.

It said Redjet had written to the Director General of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) Ramesh Lutchmedial indicating that “the Airline’s Shareholders were obliged to suspend operations as continued funding of the current business plan was contingent on the activation of agreement that was concluded between the Shareholders of REDjet and the Government of Barbados in January this year”.

The statement further quoted REDjet as indicating that in the interim it was “requesting dialogue with the TTCAA in the interim”.

“However, the TTCAA while noting the commitment on achieving the restoration of its AOC with the Barbados Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) and out of respect for its regional counterparts will not engage in any premature discussions with REDjet until the AOC has been reinstated by the BCAA and have reapplied for a Trinidad and Tobago License,” the statement said.

The REDjet officials also met with Guyana officials on the airline’s future.

Government spokesman Dr Roger Luncheon said two weeks ago that Guyana has no intentions of revoking REDjet’s licence.