LIAT Passengers caught in crossfire

As the horror stories experienced by passengers of LIAT continue to mount across the region, appeals for patience and understanding are being made by the airline, as it seeks to address what it calls a series of challenges that it is facing.{{more}}

For the second time in a week, travelers on the regional airline were left stranded at the ET Joshua Airport, after flights to other destinations were either delayed or cancelled last weekend.

Even LIAT pilots who turned up at the airport to transport travelers on Saturday found that there were no planes there for them to fly.

Calls by the disgruntled flyers for a boycott of the airline or for competition were made as they waited for their flights which took hours and in some cases days to show up.

Police were at one point summoned to keep the peace at the airline’s check in counter in Arnos Vale and the main office in Kingstown on Saturday, July 18th.

The weekend’s events led to a statement being released by LIAT, in which Acting Chief Executive Officer Brian Challenger placed the blame on the company’s pilots.

Challenger said that the disruptions arose from a “distinct lack of cooperation” by some pilots and an “unusual increase in unscheduled maintenance”.

He said that these had caused a severe strain on the carrier’s operations at a time when its schedule called for maximum aircraft availability.

A press release from the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) in response to LIAT’s claim conveyed its disappointment in Challenger’s allegations, and said he was using the pilots as scapegoats.

“… We repeat our previous stance that we will not fly any aircraft that does not meet the airline’s operational standards. Management will receive no cooperation from us when it comes to the compromise of operational standards.

“Our number one priority is, and will always be, the safety of our passengers,” the release went on to say.

The press release also said: “There would be no unusual increase in unscheduled maintenance of aircraft, if management had a systematic, structured and effective maintenance plan in place. The company’s devised schedule of maximum use of the entire fleet without a spare aircraft renders them vulnerable in the unlikely event of unexpected maintenance issues.”

Both sides are scheduled to meet here in St. Vincent for discussions on Monday. In the mean time, the Acting CEO is advising travelers to call ahead of their scheduled departure time to check on the status of their flights.(JJ)