Air Services closes helicopter operations; Complains of “insurmountable hurdles” – News Source Guyana
Local airline company, Air Services Limited, has announced the closure of its helicopter operations, saying it faced a number of administrative setbacks and ‘insurmountable hurdles’ in getting the relevant regulatory approvals for its continued operations.
In a statement, the company explained that after a decade of dedicated service to the aviation sector in Guyana, it is with sadness and frustration that the decision was made to close the company’s rotor wing operations.
The company said the decision marks the end of ten years of commitment to the nation’s growth.
Air Services described the last decade of its operations as a decade of struggle, noting for the past seven years, it has worked tirelessly in pursuit of securing its rotorcraft Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
The company said it approached the application process with transparency, commitment, and a genuine desire to uphold the highest safety standards required by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
However, it said instead of a partnership aimed at achieving these essential regulatory milestones, it was met with a series of insurmountable hurdles.
“What should have been a collaborative process where authorities worked hand-in-hand with operators to foster development became a cycle of bureaucratic obstruction. For decades, Air Services Limited has stood at the heart of Guyana’s aviation industry. As the nation’s longest serving aviation company, we have remained committed to serving the hinterland, providing essential air services to communities that rely on aviation not as a convenience, but as a lifeline,”ASL noted.
The company, which has been in operation for more than 60 years, said it was disappointing that given its long service to the country, it now faces closure of its rotor wing operations because the regulatory process became a barrier.
“It is deeply disheartening that in a nation poised for rapid expansion and economic growth, the mechanisms for certification and personnel licensing remain unnecessarily cumbersome. Aviation is the lifeblood of our interior connectivity; it is a vital utility, not a luxury. When regulatory frameworks become so rigid that they stifle long-standing, reputable operators rather than guiding them toward compliance, it is the Guyanese people who suffer,” the company noted.
The company said it believed that if it received the support from the relevant authorities, it would not have had to make the move.
