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American Airlines could come aboard, says JFF
DANIA BOGLE, Observer staff reporter
bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, January 24, 2008
US-based carrier, American Airlines, has made an offer to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to transport its national teams at discounted rates in a deal similar to a previous agreement during the 1998 Road to France World Cup campaign, said JFF head, Captain Horace Burrell.
The JFF boss said the airline approached the federation following a January 9 report in the Observer about the uncertainty the association faced in flying national players back and forth to the United Kingdom after Air Jamaica, with which the association has a $35M deal, sold its London route to Virgin Atlantic Airways.
The deal ensures that national players travel at discounted rates on Air Jamaica's routes and Burrell said the sale, which became effective on October 28 last year, had alread cost the JFF millions to fly European-based players into the island for friendly games against Guatemala and El Salvador in November last year.
At least 15 players, including captain Ricardo 'Bibi' Gardner, Ricardo Fuller, Omar Daley, Claude Davis, Damion Stewart, Luton Shelton, Marlon King, Jermaine Johnson, Donovan Ricketts and Khari Stephenson are based in Europe and would benefit from the deal.
Virgin Atlantic's Caribbean Sales & Marketing Manager Rachel Pilgrim told the Observer by email it would be unable to honour any agreement between Air Jamaica and other corporations.
However, Pilgrim said the JFF had the option of approaching Virgin Atlantic directly to request discounts which they might be able to assist with, depending on the number of travellers or time of year.
Yesterday Burrell told the Observer that since the newspaper report he received a call from American Airlines with which the JFF had a deal between 1995 and 2000.
"I have forwarded a proposal to them," he said.
Burrell declined to speak definitively on what would happen to the existing deal with Air Jamaica if an offer by American Airlines was accepted.
"I would not want to speak to those details right now," he said.
In the meantime, Burrell - who took over the reigns of the JFF on November 4 last year - said Minister of Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, had offered to intervene in brokering a deal with Virgin Atlantic on the JFF's behalf.
He said the federation had asked for the minister's assistance and she indicated she would do all she could to fast-track the process.
Jamaica face Costa Rica in a friendly international at the National Stadium on February 6 for which several overseas-based players have been invited.
The Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) is also affected by the sale of Air Jamaica's London route as it has a $9 million two-year deal with the airline.
DANIA BOGLE, Observer staff reporter
bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, January 24, 2008
US-based carrier, American Airlines, has made an offer to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to transport its national teams at discounted rates in a deal similar to a previous agreement during the 1998 Road to France World Cup campaign, said JFF head, Captain Horace Burrell.
The JFF boss said the airline approached the federation following a January 9 report in the Observer about the uncertainty the association faced in flying national players back and forth to the United Kingdom after Air Jamaica, with which the association has a $35M deal, sold its London route to Virgin Atlantic Airways.
The deal ensures that national players travel at discounted rates on Air Jamaica's routes and Burrell said the sale, which became effective on October 28 last year, had alread cost the JFF millions to fly European-based players into the island for friendly games against Guatemala and El Salvador in November last year.
At least 15 players, including captain Ricardo 'Bibi' Gardner, Ricardo Fuller, Omar Daley, Claude Davis, Damion Stewart, Luton Shelton, Marlon King, Jermaine Johnson, Donovan Ricketts and Khari Stephenson are based in Europe and would benefit from the deal.
Virgin Atlantic's Caribbean Sales & Marketing Manager Rachel Pilgrim told the Observer by email it would be unable to honour any agreement between Air Jamaica and other corporations.
However, Pilgrim said the JFF had the option of approaching Virgin Atlantic directly to request discounts which they might be able to assist with, depending on the number of travellers or time of year.
Yesterday Burrell told the Observer that since the newspaper report he received a call from American Airlines with which the JFF had a deal between 1995 and 2000.
"I have forwarded a proposal to them," he said.
Burrell declined to speak definitively on what would happen to the existing deal with Air Jamaica if an offer by American Airlines was accepted.
"I would not want to speak to those details right now," he said.
In the meantime, Burrell - who took over the reigns of the JFF on November 4 last year - said Minister of Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, had offered to intervene in brokering a deal with Virgin Atlantic on the JFF's behalf.
He said the federation had asked for the minister's assistance and she indicated she would do all she could to fast-track the process.
Jamaica face Costa Rica in a friendly international at the National Stadium on February 6 for which several overseas-based players have been invited.
The Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) is also affected by the sale of Air Jamaica's London route as it has a $9 million two-year deal with the airline.
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