Late pay at LIAT

Almost two weeks into a major fire that cost LIAT (1974) an estimated $35 million in insured losses, the company has announced it is facing another challenge: it is unable to meet its payroll due at the end of June.

The news came simultaneously with the announcement of new routes being added to LIAT’s 21 destinations. They include extra flights from Antigua to San Juan and from Martinique to Antigua.

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

48 Comments

  1. June 28, 2012

    Dominicans lack economic sense. Get your heads out of the brath and see that all Airlines are in a crisis.

    Air France is cutting 5000 staff
    Air Caraibes is cutting flights and destinations
    Air Antilles Express cancelled flights to St Lucia and had to give LIAT all its passengers.
    Continental and United merge
    British Airways and Air Zimbabwe merged
    Caribbean Airlines in economic problems
    American Eagle will be no more next year
    RedJet came with a free for all failing plan and left passengers stranded in Jamaica and Guyana until LIAT had to step in to take the passengers back home, Red Jet still havent compensated the passengers yet.

    Bahamas Air is on its way to bankruptcy

    LIAT is still flying high come what may, the caribbean need to come together to and invest in Caribbean Airlines and LIAT OUR TRUE TWO REGIONAL CARRIERS.

    • budman
      June 28, 2012

      finally somebody saying something sensible and understands that the airline industry is extremely difficult and expensive even for the top players.

    • Cerberus
      June 28, 2012

      British Airways did not merge with Air Zimbabwe. The latter, 100% government owned airline finally collapsed under a mountain of debt earlier this year, a victim of political interference and mismanagement. It was thrown out of IATA and its pilots refused to fly because of a huge backlog in unpaid wages. It ceased operations altogether in Feb. of 2012. Direct flights to Harare from London were resumed by British Airways after an absence of some rour years. This is a prime example of an airline run for political expediency and its inevitable demise.

      • June 29, 2012

        I stand corrected but they merged with another airline.

  2. anonymous2
    June 27, 2012

    I guess that they may have to issue IOU’s or take out an emergency bank loan.

    • Malgraysa
      June 28, 2012

      Ha, Ha, why not offer them some Dominica Govt. bonds? Yhey must be worth a pretty penny by now…..or maybe not.

  3. speak the truth
    June 27, 2012

    I have never, in the history of Dominica, seen so many who allow themselves to be fooled again and again and again. Is it greed, selfishness, ignorance or love for corrupt practices?

    Already, the $8 million of out hard-earned dollars, Skerritt decided unilaterally to take to give LIAT, without the prior knowledge of the people, is gone. No excuses. Skerritt could not be fooling his people like that, in broad daylight, claiming that he (Govt,) does not have money for repairing feeder roads. Skerritt, up to now, has refused to dish out money to the “Independent” Electoral Commission, which requested funds to produce Voter ID cards and to clean up the unclean, bloated Voters’ List.

    Remember, LIAT was paid thousands of our dollars for charter to fly in for night-landing? Soon after, LIAT complain it will face problems with night-landing into Melville Hall because of tailwind, which was there all the time. All you see the trickery and the partisan politics involved? Dominicans will pay dearly for not ensuring politicians are frank, transparent about spending the people’s money. How could so many people allow one man, or so few of the cabal, to dominate their lives and fool them so often?

    What a shame!!! serious Investments into the productive sectors like agriculture is not priority for that DLP Govt.

  4. Bring Em Young Mormo
    June 27, 2012

    LIAT is an Antiguan airline no doubt about that,why do LIAT employees try to dissuade people who are enroute to D/ca from continuing their journey,to these LIAT employees Dominica is backward and under developed,so why do we poor Dominicans have to contribute GOOD MONEY into a bad and failing airline

    • budman
      June 28, 2012

      what kind of nonsense is this??

  5. Caribbean thinker.
    June 27, 2012

    Liat has cut back on staff, they are understaffed, no competition flying the Caribbean, high air fares, where has all the money gone?
    Also while L I A T is being flouted for the high air fare the government taxes are exobitant, government should be more realistic and adjust those high taxes to allow for a more reasonable fare to travel the Caribbean, this too should be on the Caribbean integration agenda.

  6. Caribbean thinker.
    June 27, 2012

    If Dominica was smart they would have joined St Lucia and bring in another airline so that we could get competitive rates.

    • JP
      June 27, 2012

      where is the other airline? where does it fly to?

    • budman
      June 28, 2012

      have you thought through what you just wrote? join st.lucia and bring in another airline? please expand on that. because st. lucia like antigua PAYS for airlines to go to their countries if the passenger load doesn’t meet a specific quota. are we prepared to do the same in DA when our travelling population is actually smaller than those in the aforementioned islands? hence we end up paying even more?

      • June 29, 2012

        exactly, budman dem people chatting utter nonsense

  7. Guide
    June 27, 2012

    Advice: Shut down! Sell to an other company.
    Too many recurring problems!

  8. Travaile
    June 27, 2012

    Strupes. This whole LIAT thing is just upsetting. LIAT needs new management as a matter of fact the Caribbean needs another more reliable airline. Liat does this crap beacause they know thaat some ppl have no other choice but them. The season is peaking right now so those of u traveling get prepared for delayed flights, overnight stays and lost baggage. LIAT is is just a waste.

  9. pp
    June 27, 2012

    Both melville hall and Vigie runways are approximately 5700 ft long

  10. GG
    June 27, 2012

    Why is the govt only focused on LIAT and not looking to get other airlines to land in DA. Air Antilles, Air Caraibes & Caribbean Airlines currently land at Vigie airport in St Lucia. Why dont they try to get those airlines to land in DA?

    • budman
      June 27, 2012

      is our landing strip as long as Vigie to accommodate Caribbean Airlines jets?

      • Cerberus
        June 27, 2012

        Caribbean Airlines also operate ATR72 turboporops, the same type of aircraft that American Eagle flies into/out of Melville Hall. In fact, is is one of the replacement options considered by LIAT.

    • Oooooo
      June 27, 2012

      It seems you don’t know much about airlines. Government cannot dictate to private carries.thats why Dom pm invest in liat so he can have a say .

      • Malatete
        June 28, 2012

        You are correct Now the Govts. that own LIAT can dictate and interfere in the running of this airline. Just like what happened at Aeroflot in the U.S.S.R. during the soviet era. It was inefficient and the service appalling. Because of our interest the Govt. will want to protect LIAT and keep out competition. Ask Briabn Challenger why he resigned as CEO last month?

  11. jump
    June 27, 2012

    Well well welll No man is an island but in the land of the blind the one eye man is king. Let’s pray for the best in these uncertain times.

  12. Met Yo
    June 27, 2012

    What’s up with all these parrots repeating this nonesense about if Liat fails it will affect Dominica’s travelling needs?

    There are other alternatives to Liat as we speak in the Caribbean, what none sense allu talking there nuh?

    There is something more to that 8 million given to Liat and it has nothing to do with Liat being the only airline that can service Dominica.

    STOP FALLING FOR THE TRICKS. READ, RESEARCH and OPEN ALLU BRAIN.

    Gosh man

    • Gwo Pwell
      June 27, 2012

      I support you,….Not to high in the Sky to Fail. Let it fail and someone will pick up the slack.

      When American Eagle stop flying in the Caribbean, there will be another one looking to come in.

      Even if it means sky high fares, another one will step in.

      Give Capitalism a chance, the state should not subsidize anything.

      But Alas, America is the biggest Capitalist and they subsidize all their Airlines.

      Even St Lucia subsidizing American Airline to fly empty seats.

      But we too poor…sorry LIAT

      • Anonymous
        June 27, 2012

        capitalism is a joke and is not a friend to the common man.

    • JP
      June 27, 2012

      so if you travelling to grenada what airline is there apart from LIAT? If you coming from st vincent and travelling to Barbados which other airline is there?

      You ppl only think of travelling to US, UK or Canada and keep missing the real inter caribbean travel.

      Typical case in point, try travelling to Jamaica, Liat don’t service that market, just check the cost and the nightmare!!!

      Skerrit is right…

    • budman
      June 28, 2012

      since you have done the research tell us what your plan is. you can’t tell us to read, research and open our brains and you not offer a definitive idea based on your meticulous research. all i am seeing in your post is the usual conjecture. that’s easy anybody and say that

  13. Malatete
    June 27, 2012

    Ralph threw him a chinaman googly this time and he never saw it coming….!

  14. jj
    June 27, 2012

    Everyone seems to be on the Prime ministers case in regards to giving LIAT 8 million dallars, but if the company goes down, e all should take a back sit and realise how much it is going to affect Dominicas and their travel needs.

    • maindesk
      June 27, 2012

      It is not just about giving money. Time should be taken to determine what will be done with the money and how it will be used to advance the development and profitability of Liat. What the PM did was action without proper thought and reckless and very poor money management. The matter should have been debated in the House. Perhaps he should follow his own advice to the US ambassador and take a drink of bwa bande rum before action.

    • Malgraysa
      June 27, 2012

      Of course it is going to affect us if LIAT goes down. We will lose those 8 million dollars!

  15. Anoushah Alie
    June 27, 2012

    Nothing but a bunch of losers!! Plus we have more losers giving them money so they can continue to mess up! Greediness has been LIAT’s drive for years, and now the winning streak seems to be coming to an end! I feel bad for the workers, and consumers, but never for this “Caribbean vulture” company!

  16. 1979
    June 27, 2012

    well suprise suprise………… NOT!

  17. Shameless
    June 27, 2012

    Alas, I told you all so!
    When will Dominicans that are hell-bent on supporting the giving of 8million$ to liat realize that this money will NEVER return?

    Skerrit has realized that he can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones he is concentrating on by hosting the red clinic. Time will tell.

  18. Trueman
    June 27, 2012

    **NEW ROUTES TO FINANCIAL HEALTH**

    Liat all these new routes means nothing if you can’t manage to stay in business!! As I wrote before the only “new route” we tax payers are concern about is the “NEW ROUTE” towards better financial stability and health for this airline!!

    In addition, it is very SAD that these workers might not get paid!

  19. HARRIS
    June 27, 2012

    Liat should have Insurance on there company, why paying there employees going to be late. Liat should be fully insured..hope is not liability insurance liat had.

    • Comedy!
      June 27, 2012

      Exactly. Where is LIAT INSURANCE?

    • budman
      June 28, 2012

      Harris let me ask you a question. if your car is insured and you get into an accident, will the insurance company give you a cheque WHILE THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGONG? there is always a delay before payment. no?

  20. 4progress
    June 27, 2012

    Now we know why the Pm is in a rush to hand over $8m. LIAT cannot pay their bills. Any surprises……..

    The question for PM is:
    DID HE OR ANY OF HIS CABINET MEMBERS APPROACH ANY OTHER AIRLINE THAT MAY BE ABLE TO SERVICE DA FOR $8M.

    Sticking plaster on a gaping hole is certainly not the answer…..this is a sinking ship (falling plane).

  21. Dave Thomas
    June 27, 2012

    Dominica just bought a ticket on a sinking ship!

    • Oooooo
      June 27, 2012

      If so, you’re just a looser like liat. Real stupid

  22. Bishop
    June 27, 2012

    please be patient skerrit money is comming soon

  23. Malgraysa
    June 27, 2012

    Oh mr. Skerrit! There you see, your money gone already and you smarter than all of us.

    • Comedy!
      June 27, 2012

      Stock price is low when the company in trouble.. it is the perfect time to invest. You would know that if you knew anything about investment. U invest when price is low and others don’t. Later our shares will be worth lists more and we will have decision making power.

      • Malatete
        June 28, 2012

        And what is the share price Comedy? If it is such a good investment why is it that it has to be bailed out by Govt. money?It is exactly because if brings no returns that private institutions stay away from it. I have never known a Govt. run enterprise to be either competitive or efficient but maybe you know better.

      • Anonymous
        June 28, 2012

        Totally disagree in a sense, one should invest when the price of share is low hoping there will be a good return in the future. However, once a compny is showing signs of lay offs, cut back,,and so on, these are sign that the company is not doing to well. Therefore and investor should look inn from outside rather than rushing into investing in such shares or company.

      • budman
        June 28, 2012

        you are technically incorrect. the perfect tiem to invest is when a stock is undervalued not low.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available