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Tension is mounting between the Bruce Golding administration and UK-based airline Virgin Atlantic.
It has emerged that a bitter row has been simmering over the controversial sale of Air Jamaica's London route.
The situation took a turn for the worse Tuesday when Transport Minister, Mike Henry, refused to attend two functions organised to celebrate Virgin's inaugural flight to Jamaica.
In a statement issued Tuesday night Mr. Henry sought to explain his decision not to participate.
The Transport Minister said he was perturbed at what is being described as Virgin Atlantic's bullying approach to the Air Jamaica deal.
According to Mr. Henry, since the new Government decided to review the sale agreement, there has been gross disregard for the sovereign right of the administration to protect the country's interest.
He says it was on this basis that he decided not to attend Tuesday's events which were attended by senior officials of Virgin Atlantic.
Mr. Henry says Air Jamaica's Executive Chairman, Shirley Williams, recently held meetings with officials of Virgin Atlantic and indicated the airline's desire to resolve all differences.
The Transport Minister says no amicable response has been forthcoming from the UK airline.
He announced that as a result of Virgin Atlantic's action's, Air Jamaica has decided to decline its request to transfer its summer slots until it agrees to offer usable slots in exchange.
In addition, the national airline will not be concluding the code share agreement or any other pending agreements with Virgin until the slot exchange issue is settled.
Air Jamaica's landing gates and slots in London were sold for 5 million pounds in a deal signed with Virgin Atlantic earlier this year.
The deal did not go down well with Jamaican travellers who insisted that the assets remain with Air Jamaica.
And the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) has criticised the Government over its handling of the Virgin Atlantic deal.
Spokesman on Tourism, Dr. Wykeham McNeil, Tuesday night accused the Bruce Golding administration of acting irresponsibly in trying to reverse the sale agreement.
"Virgin is one of our partners in the industry, Virgin Airlines as well as Virgin Vacations, are serious partners for us in the tourism industry and one of our major carriers. They are partners and there are ways that we deal with that," said Dr. McNeil.
"If we have disagreements with how business deals have gone through then we sit at a table and discuss that this would have been the best way to have dealt with the situation. We are dealing with a company that were partners yesterday, partners today and will be partners tomorrow," he continued.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/2559/26/
It has emerged that a bitter row has been simmering over the controversial sale of Air Jamaica's London route.
The situation took a turn for the worse Tuesday when Transport Minister, Mike Henry, refused to attend two functions organised to celebrate Virgin's inaugural flight to Jamaica.
In a statement issued Tuesday night Mr. Henry sought to explain his decision not to participate.
The Transport Minister said he was perturbed at what is being described as Virgin Atlantic's bullying approach to the Air Jamaica deal.
According to Mr. Henry, since the new Government decided to review the sale agreement, there has been gross disregard for the sovereign right of the administration to protect the country's interest.
He says it was on this basis that he decided not to attend Tuesday's events which were attended by senior officials of Virgin Atlantic.
Mr. Henry says Air Jamaica's Executive Chairman, Shirley Williams, recently held meetings with officials of Virgin Atlantic and indicated the airline's desire to resolve all differences.
The Transport Minister says no amicable response has been forthcoming from the UK airline.
He announced that as a result of Virgin Atlantic's action's, Air Jamaica has decided to decline its request to transfer its summer slots until it agrees to offer usable slots in exchange.
In addition, the national airline will not be concluding the code share agreement or any other pending agreements with Virgin until the slot exchange issue is settled.
Air Jamaica's landing gates and slots in London were sold for 5 million pounds in a deal signed with Virgin Atlantic earlier this year.
The deal did not go down well with Jamaican travellers who insisted that the assets remain with Air Jamaica.
And the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) has criticised the Government over its handling of the Virgin Atlantic deal.
Spokesman on Tourism, Dr. Wykeham McNeil, Tuesday night accused the Bruce Golding administration of acting irresponsibly in trying to reverse the sale agreement.
"Virgin is one of our partners in the industry, Virgin Airlines as well as Virgin Vacations, are serious partners for us in the tourism industry and one of our major carriers. They are partners and there are ways that we deal with that," said Dr. McNeil.
"If we have disagreements with how business deals have gone through then we sit at a table and discuss that this would have been the best way to have dealt with the situation. We are dealing with a company that were partners yesterday, partners today and will be partners tomorrow," he continued.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/2559/26/
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