LIAT shutdown likely during Easter period- CEO David Evans
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados- The Chief Executive Officer of LIAT on Thursday evening, March 19, 2015 issued a stark warning about the effect of likely industrial action by pilots over the Easter period.
David Evans says this would put the regional carrier – in which Barbados is a major shareholder – in a position of no return, leading to a shutdown.
The Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) this week issued a statement expressing discontent with the airline’s decision not to reinstate pilots, Jamie Hunt and Vincent Augustin, who were dismissed last year after one of the airline’s ATRs was damaged during Hurricane Gonzalo in October.
LIALPA also had concerns about the progress of fleet renewal, the pension fund, pay rates for flying the ATRs and crew rostering.
Evans said all of LIALPA’s grievances are either before the courts or being dealt with in the normal manner.
The CEO promised that the management will do everything in its power to minimise the effect of industrial action, but cautioned that there could still be a significant disruption.
In February, shareholder government who convened a meeting in Barbados agreed to reduce LIAT’s workforce of 800 by 160 in light of the carrier’s projected financial loss of $29.6 million last year.
They also announced plans to shift the airline’s shift base from Antigua to Barbados to bring in more revenue from the southern Caribbean.
Additionally, the leaders agreed to an almost immediate cash injection of BDS $3.7 million.
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