On Sunday August 20, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said on the ‘Issue at Hand’ programme on We FM that he is awaiting a document from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in relation a new LIAT.
LIAT 1974 Ltd, which serviced the Caribbean for almost 50 years was shut down in July 2020, then restructured in November 2020, providing a very limited service to the region. Only one or two of its ATR42-600s are operational at present.
This has resulted in travellers within the region having to use other airlines such as InterCaribbean Airlines, which has racked up a poor record in relation to reliability and customer service.
On Saturday night, SEARCHLIGHT highlighted the plight of a newly wed Canadian couple whose flight out of St Vincent with InterCaribbean had been cancelled.
The couple is blaming the airline for causing them to miss their connecting flight back to Canada.
The couple, along with three other family members, were left stranded at the Argyle International
Airport (AIA) when they tried to return to Canada on Saturday August 19. The plane on which they were to travel to Barbados reportedly had engine problems, resulting in them missing their connecting flight.
Up to press time on Monday, August 21, the couple was still stranded in St Vincent.
Many other travellers have also told similar stories about InterCaribbean Airways.
On Sunday, Dr Gonsalves said the airline’s service “is absolutely terrible.”
“It’s a terrible service,” he added.
In relation to the new LIAT, Gonsalves said he had spoken recently to officials of the Caribbean Development Bank and made some practical suggestions.
The Prime Minister said he is also having talks with Caribbean Airlines to bring some measure of relief to travellers to and from St Vincent and the Grenadines.
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Not blaming ANR; this article for it was up from Searchlight
Rather than being news worthy, this is just fodder for gossip.
The typical Caribbean media news
A Canadian couples flight and plight is highlighted, presumably to garner more attention.
More news worthy is that The Hon. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has been one of the stewards of LIAT who has presided over LIATs demise
InterCarbbean problems are not to be taken lightly. Their poor service and inexcusable customer service behavior may be the end of them in the Eastern Caribbean.
Interesting, Gonsalves is among the principals who are complicit in the slow decline of LIAT with no solution in sight
Equally interesting in Gonsalves statement is that “he” is awaiting a document from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in relation a new LIAT
It isn’t said the various PMs are awaiting this document. He Gonsalves is by inference the only PM getting this document.
The appearances is he Gonsalves may have a solution.
The calculus around the debate in LIAT has not been a mystery: Like Gaston he wants to be be credited with a coronation as the person who saved LIAT
We know who else is vying for that crown.
Well well well.
Never miss the water til the well runs dry eh?
What is really needed is a binding passenger Charter of Rights which holds airlines financially responsible for delayed and cancelled flights directly to the effected passengers. I am not talking about being forced to buy lunch either. There needs to be significant financial penalty to make this effective. Currently Intercaribben Airlines is not being held accountable to any significant degree and continue to operate with disregard to their responsibility for the tickets that they sell. These are rights awarded to passengers in other parts of the world but the Caribbean governments have not implemented any such measures as in the past they were running the airlines and I suspect did not want to uphold this responsibility.
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