ST. JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):
THE MAJOR air carriers based in the Caribbean have landed a major contract for the 2007 Cricket World Cup to be played in the region.
The consortium of Caribbean Star, BWIA West Indies Airlines, LIAT and Air Jamaica has been awarded the contract to be the official carrier for teams, media, sponsors and VIPs, and tournament officials during the March 5 to April 28 showpiece.
Stephen Price, commercial manager at Cricket World Cup, made the disclosure late Wednesday after a series of high-level meetings at the Royal Antigua Hotel.
"I can announce that we contracted the Caribbean consortium of airlines to be the official carrier for the teams, VIPs, media, sponsors and officials during the duration of the tournament," Price said.
"They will provide chartered airlift. It's a humongous achievement and it shows there is faith in the regional air carriers. It will link all the carriers of the region under one roof. It says a lot too about the steps they are willing to take in terms of ensuring that the transportation for the tournament is successful."
Price was among several executives from the regional and international travel industry who joined officials from the CWC, customs, immigration, security, land and air traffic management, visitor experience, and logistics in trying to come up with a framework to ease worries over airlift and congestion for the tournament.
OPENING CEREMONY SCHEDULE
The CWC bowls off on March 11, 2007 with the opening ceremony scheduled for the new stadium under construction in Trelawny, Jamaica. First-round matches will be played in St. Kitts, Jamaica, Trinidad and St. Lucia from March 13-25.
The Super Eight second round will be played in Barbados, Guyana, Grenada and Antigua from March 27 to April 21.
St. Lucia and Jamaica will play hosts to the respective semi-finals on April 24 and 25, while the grand final will be played in Barbados on April 28.
Pre-tournament matches will run from March 5-9 in Barbados, Trinidad, St Vincent and Jamaica.
