CAL flight from Timehri to NY cancelled because of technical problem with aircraft

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight BW526 from Georgetown to New York was cancelled last evening because of a technical problem with the aircraft.

It  was rescheduled for this afternoon and renumbered BW3526.

The flight is expected to depart the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at 2.15 pm today and arrive at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport at 7.45 pm, according to a customer advisory issued by the airline.

The original flight was scheduled to leave Guyana at 5.55 pm on August 13. CAL said the aircraft returned to the gate after a technical problem was detected before take-off. The passengers were safely disembarked and the aircraft was taken in for maintenance.

In a joint statement issued today, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) said CAL’s ground crew made extensive efforts to correct the problem, but it remained unresolved.

Officials from the two agencies subsequently consulted senior representatives of the airline’s head office, and a joint decision was made to cancel the flight in the interest of passenger and crew safety.

CAL said affected passengers were contacted directly and provided with their updated flight information. Its Guyana airport team was also providing them with accommodation and meals.

The GCAA and CJIAC said the airline had assured the Guyana authorities that all affected passengers would be accommodated and rebooked on the next available flights.

The GCAA’s engineering team is working with the airline’s technical personnel to inspect the aircraft and complete the required safety assessments before it is cleared to fly again, the joint statement said.

CAL said the disruption also resulted in changes to the departure times of some services out of New York, regional flights to Curaçao and some flights between Georgetown and Port of Spain.

The airline said operations were expected to return to the regular schedule shortly.

It apologised to passengers and those awaiting their arrival for the inconvenience and thanked them for their patience and understanding.

CAL also encouraged customers to register through its website for real-time flight notifications and updates.

“The safety of our customers and crew remains our highest priority,” the airline said. 

The GCAA and CJIAC similarly said passenger safety remained their paramount concern.