“Very disappointed” in aviation sector as hinterland airfares soar – Pres Ali

…proposes community-run cargo launch service to cut transport costs to Region 1

President Dr Irfaan Ali has expressed his disappointment in the local aviation sector as domestic airfares continue to remain high, further burdening citizens and businesses in hinterland locations.

“We are very disappointed in the aviation sector, because we have not been able to get the corresponding returns on the investments that we are making in prices [for domestic flights],” the Head of State posited on Wednesday during a public meeting at the Santa Rosa Secondary School in the Moruca sub-district, Region One (Barima-Waini).
Back in November 2025, President Ali had pointed out that the local aviation sector is financially capable of lowering domestic air transport fares to hinterland locations by as much as 15 per cent.
Last year, the Guyana Government invested billions of dollars to upgrade major hinterland airstrips to enhance travel to and from hinterland communities across the country. These include the $1.053 billion Karasabai Airstrip, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), which was opened in April this year. In January, a $920 million concrete airstrip at Aishalton, also in Region Nine, and the $800 million Paramakatoi Airstrip in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) were commissioned as well.
Moreover, another $4 billion was earmarked in Budget 2026 to build out 35 new airstrips across the country, including several other locations in Region Nine, several in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and at least one in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

With the opening up of these upgraded infrastructures earlier this year, nearly all the domestic airlines had announced a reduction in the rates for flights to those locations with new airstrips. However, the local operators increased their airfares back in April after aviation fuel prices skyrocketed in the global market due to the Middle East conflict.

Impact food prices
According to President Ali during Wednesday’s public meeting, the high domestic airfares impact the prices of food items in riverine and hinterland communities, as he underscored the importance of addressing this transportation woe.
“Unfortunately, transportation has a direct impact on cost of living. So, when we examine the costs you are paying for chicken, beef, and other important food item, it is clear that you are paying far above the market price. And when we talk to your leaders and residents…[and] the shop owners, their primary reason is the cost of transportation,” he stated.

Community-run cargo launch service
The Guyanese leader brought up some ideas to address this transportation challenge and its impact on food prices in the region.
“There are some opportunities for our young people. I was speaking to the Toshao, and we were talking about the possibility of having a goods launch from Charity, bringing only food items and cargo into the Moruca sub-district and Santa Rosa and these areas… You also need things to take back to Charity. Whether it’s ginger, whether it’s copper, whatever it is, we have to be able to create opportunities in the village.”
He noted that a group of people from the community can form a consortium, and with financing through the Guyana Development Bank, they can operate this service and do so in a manner that not only brings profits but also serves as a social responsibility by offering fair transportation costs.
Another opportunity, the Head of State detailed, is that young people, especially women, from the region can tap into the Development Bank financing to undertake a poultry project to meet the demands of the sub-region.
“We can have the production of poultry, your chicken, right here in the sub-region. Because that is one of your major costs. So, in addressing the issue of cost of living, we have to address the issue of transportation. We have to address the issue of food production,” the President stated.
Moreover, Ali also spoke about plans to upgrade the road network, as well as other opportunities to increase food production in the region. “Not only upgrading the road network, [but] to see how we can then utilise the land along the road to increase your food production. We have to be able to increase food production in the Moruca sub-district. That is the most definite way of reducing your cost of food. If we produce the food here, we will be able to minimise or take away that cost of transportation.”
But even as the Head of State spoke about infrastructure development, he assured his Government is committed to replacing ageing assets that service hinterland regions, such as ferries.
“I want to assure you that as we continue to develop, we are phasing out old infrastructure, but it takes time. We are phasing out old stellings, old wharves, old vessels, even in the military; old planes. But everything is incremental. With our Government, you can be assured of greater support. You can be assured of a listening Government. You can be assured of a Government that will continuously work towards your improvement,” President Ali emphasised at Wednesday’s meeting.