Air Caraibes (TX, Pointe à Pitre) and Air France (AF, Paris CDG) resumed limited operations to French Guiana this week, despite ongoing civil unrest in the South American French Territory.
Air Caraibes's website announced that on April 3, a direct flight departed Paris Orly for Cayenne, with a stopover at Fort de France on the return leg for refuelling and crew change. It has not yet confirmed future direct services.
Air France had cancelled its direct services until April 4, due to concerns over refuelling. However, it will run a flight from Orly to Cayenne on Wednesday April 5 aboard a B777-200ER, with a technical stop at Paramaribo International on the return leg. It has also been offering services to Fort-de-France, with onward connections to Cayenne. To deal with the lack of non-stop capacity, Air France has put on a second daily A320 flight for these routes.
The general strikes, which have been going on for two weeks, began over concerns about unemployment, crime and economic hardship. It is now starting to take the shape of an independence movement, with protest leaders calling for the Guianan government to change the status of the country and its relationship with France. Two senior French ministers, Interior Minister Matthias Fekl and Overseas Minister Ericka Bareigts, will meet with officials this week for discussions.
Other airlines which operate from Cayenne are Surinam Airways (PY, Paramaribo International), which flies to Belém International and Paramaribo International; and Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, São Paulo Viracopos), which flies to Belem and Fortaleza International. These operators have been largely unaffected by the protests.
