LIAT apologises for flight cancellations and baggage delays

LIAT has apologised to its customers travelling to/from Dominica and St Vincent on Wednesday for the inconvenience they have been experiencing, owing to an increase in cancelled flights and delayed baggage.{{more}}

Over the past two weeks, customers travelling to/from Dominica have faced an unusual number of cancellations, especially at night; while customers travelling to/from St Vincent have experienced delays in receiving their baggage.

Head of Corporate Communications at LIAT Desmond Brown said the cancellations were due to high seasonal winds at both airports.

He explained that the Dominica airport currently has a tailwind limitation of 15 knots for night landings and aircraft are not permitted to land there beyond these limits.

“LIAT sincerely regrets the inconvenience that many of our customers have had to endure as a result of the strong seasonal winds, but the decision to cancel flights is taken in the interest of the safety of our flight crews and our customers. For all of us at LIAT, the number one priority is to run a safe and reliable operation throughout our network,” Mr Brown said.

“While we will continue to do our best to provide our customers with a smooth travel experience, we must operate within the limitations set by the aircraft manufacturer and occasionally, we will have no alternative but to cancel a night service due to the high winds.”

He also emphasised that LIAT still provides several flights to/from Dominica during the daylight hours, which are normally not affected by tail winds.

Meanwhile, Brown said that at this time of the year, the wind conditions in St Vincent restrict the take-off weight of the aircraft and when this occurs, the company is obliged to restrict the number of bags that can be taken on the aircraft.

Brown said the company’s reservations and airport personnel stand ready to assist customers who have been affected by the cancellations and baggage issues, due to the strict airport limitations for Dominica and St Vincent.

LIAT would like to appeal to its customers for their continued patience and understanding in the face of the situation which is outside of the company’s control.