trintocan wrote: The flight, currently scheduled for 15 minutes in both directions, provides one of the key links between the islands of the Republic (the other is a ferry service). Various operators, both Government and privately-owned, have flown the route over the years with Caribbean Airlines (BW) the sole provider since their 2007 inception.
trintocan wrote: While the route is important to the country as a whole it is significantly more critical for TAB owing to Tobago's great dependence on Trinidad for a variety of services (think medical, legal and the like).
I think that, baldly lost in the discussion (and validly so, considering the forum), is that the 'ferry' service(s) have vastly improved towards customer needs/focus/direction over time (and more so, recently). In the past (during the 1990s-to-early 2000s), the ferry service was POS focused, and catered mostly to commercial entities operating in Trinidad that essentially 'escorted' (or, existed to serve as exportation service) that would supply Tobago with services such as foodstuffs, medical supplies, and mostly finished goods that were not capable of being locally produced in Tobago (which does not have a diversified, or large scale farm/heavy/petrochemical base/industry to call from/upon). Colloquially, it was said that if the ferry did not operate that day, there would be no bread in shops, in Tobago, the next. Today, and along the way, the offering/availability and pricing - has been favored/curried with the local population, by more reliable ships, better services on board, and better options (notably, allowing passengers to transport their vehicles). This, thus, marries (Air, and Sea) services/needs on the route and it cannot be understated how/when these services merge for individuals traveling to Tobago. It's not uncommon to have one member (of a family/group) take a vehicle from Trinidad, via Ferry - to Tobago, and use said vehicle to transport the other members who flew (simply to save time, or to cater to specific travelers {notably, younger/older/frail family members, to whom the hours long ferry services is not applicable/appealing}. What cargo needs, as well as, what business needs are now much more accounted for, when one can 'pack-the-car' via Ferry, and fly-the-fuss, via Air. This can also help explain why/how the Air services can suffer and/or see greater depreciations when the ferry is often available, often needed and can offer much more capacity at lower costs, and with often essential items on-board/in trunk, to boot.
High(er) speed transportation (favoring passengers and key cargo) arrived with the age of aircraft, and has had quite a few bright spots (considering the nature of the operation). So, they are often used in tandem, however - I would like to be clear, a 15 minute flight does not compare to a 3.5 hour ferry ride, even at a price advantage. I hoped to offer this, to explain how where the ex-Tobago market is served, and to explain that the air component is not the only one, but rather/perhaps the more fragile - as there exists a company whose sole purpose is inter-island (Trinidad-Tobago), and who is government subsidized, and who does perhaps better cater to more domestic travelers, in more cases. To consider that the Air Bridge exists here, and does so with such frequency and skill - is truly breathtaking, and comments on the breadth of the market at hand.
trintocan wrote:Trintocan.
I would like to thank you, for a brilliant post, with such great depth and nuances converging in an apropos view of the topic, from the sky. It's fascinating to consider where this route could go, and/or how future technologies will help/hurt viability of this operator (and, I do think back to times in which BW {or iteration} was not the sole operator on the route}). I do wonder how/where electric, VTOL, new(er) airfields, greater capacity air options, and greater at-sea developments/options would change the nature of the servings offered on the market. I would like to thank you for not only discussing it with such knowledge and respect, but also, for taking us down the path of how/where this market is now, and/or how/where there is space for growth (based on past precedence, and/or with future growth considerations in mind). Remaining neutral (at the moment) regarding the government's stance-du-jour on expanding offerings/subsides, I would add to your note, that while all of this topics discussed to have far and broad reaching effects on the island of Tobago, most of the air-based options likely provide (while higher costing), more higher yielding passengers to Tobago (and can, within the context of the Trinidad-Tobago market), and likely is within the purview of those that make considerations of choice here be it individual consumers and/or those providing auxiliary services and/or the government agencies/decision markers that determine how/where these services are offered. During a market event (such as Easter) we can see how these services are flexed and uniquely stressed over what is otherwise a well served, and responsive market. Should greater services be offered, on/around these key market events - perhaps. However, let's also be cognoscent of the fact that Tobago's capacity does not flex as well (hotel/rental-car/services capacities) and while these market/services caps may anger some - paper outrage withstanding, proper reservations and conscious/logistical considerations were needed (in advance) to cater to these key influxes. I would like to thank you again, for offering how such an in-depth analysis of the Air component and opening the conversation (once again) to where/when expansion and/or future capacities are possible/needed/considerable.
