The domestic air travel market almost doubled last year but is yet to fully recover from the huge fallout triggered when Air Jamaica Express exited the industry five years ago.

Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) statistics reveal that domestic passenger departures from local airports were up 84 per cent to 10,170 last year, against the background of at least two domestic carriers entering the market in 2009 with an aim to service what was said to be an underserviced market with huge potential at the time.

Skylan Airways held its inaugural flight in August 2009, operating two 19-seater aircraft between Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston and Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport with scheduled flights as well as charter service. Jamaica Air Shuttle entered the market four months later on December 7, 2009, running three scheduled flights per day between the Tinson Pen Aerodrome in Kingston and Sangster International Airport on weekdays, and two schedule flights between the two locations on weekends.

“We have certainly revived the domestic travel industry in the sense that we have been able to rebuild a significant amount of traffic that was lost because air service was absent from the market for such a long period of time,” Jamaica Air Shuttle marketing manager Deryck Dwyer told the Business Observer yesterday.

Dwyer noted that the majority of Jamaica Air Shuttle passengers are businesspersons who need to commute relatively quickly between the nation’s two major urban centres.

“Persons who have the need to do business on both sides of the island, because as you know many businesses in Kingston have expanded operations into montego Bay to expand their market and their reach, and conversely there a number of business persons in Montego Bay who have to come to Kingston to do certain bits of business,” explained Dwyer.

Domestic airlines allow passengers to avoid the typical pre-departure requirements and lengthy delays of customs and immigration associated with international airlines.

According to Dwyer, Jamaica Air Shuttle enjoys an even greater competitive advantage in light of market research showing that domestic air travellers prefer to commute via Tinson Pen rather than NMIA in the corporate area.

“What we know about the domestic market is that it prefers to travel out of Tinson Pen because they do not like the inordinate delays and the high security issues — At NMIA you actually end up combing with international travellers which you really don’t want for your domestic passengers,” said Dwyer, adding “Using Tinson Pen, you’re able to process a much faster checking time and ultimately your commuting time is a hell of a lot less.”

Efforts to contact representatives of Skylan Airways were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, despite the growth enjoyed by the industry last year, domestic passenger departure levels from local airports are still way behind the 29, 948 recorded in 2006, Air Jamaica Express’ last year in operation.

“The reality is that the traffic has not yet moved back to the levels when Air Jamaica Express was in the market,” acknowledged the Jamaica Air Shuttle marketing manager.

Montego Bay-based domestic carrier International Air Link took up the challenge to fill the void left by Air Jamaica Express but that airline has not operated since an aircraft developed engine trouble with government officials aboard after taking off from Tinson Pen en route to Sangster International in January 2008.

Dwyer blamed part of the slowness of the recovery on a lot of persons having become accustomed to driving during the absence of regular domestic air service, partly attributed to the significant improvements in the road network over the period.

Jamaica Air Shuttle owns a total of three 12-seater Beech 99 aircraft that are currently operating on occupancy levels of roughly 60 to 70 per cent.

“Our occupancy levels have been fluctuating, right now average loads are about seven to eight passengers,” noted Dwyer.

Dwyer said that Jamaica Air Shuttle is aiming to move closer to an average load of 10 passengers in order to start seeing solid returns on its investment.

He is confident that the recovery in the market will continue as persons seek quicker means to commute and maximise their productivity on a given day.

“The road network has still not been able to reduce the total commuting time between Kingston and Montego Bay to under three hours; not legally,” said Dwyer.

“What we have tried to emphasise is the fact that if you have the need to go and come within one day, you’re talking about spending about six to eight hours commuting (when driving), which is a significant amount of productivity time,” he said, noting that regular commuters can benefit from being part of Jamaica Air Shuttle’s frequent flyer programme, which offers discounted fares and bonus flights.