PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Guardian - A US aviation lobby group is urging the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to reject an application by majority state-owned Caribbean Airlines to fly directly between Georgetown, Guyana and New York.

A report on the Caribbean News Now Web site on Friday indicated that Airlines for America (A4A) wants the DOT to oppose the July 18, 2013, application of Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) for “an exemption from 49 USC/40301 (7th Freedom) to operate scheduled service between New York—John F Kennedy International Airport and Georgetown, Guyana.” Members of A4A include Delta Airlines, US Airways, American Airlines, Jet Blue and United, among others.

The 7th Freedom gives an airline the right to fly between two foreign countries while not offering flights to one’s own country. Delta abruptly pulled out of Guyana in May, leaving CAL to dominate the skies over Guyana. According to the report, during peak periods CAL operates up to five flights daily in and out of Guyana, but has faced hurdles to add direct flights out of JFK to Guyana. This led to the government of Guyana granting CAL flag carrier status to get around US DOT hurdles.