A call has been issued to Dominica and other countries in the region to reduce the cost of doing business in their territories.
Regional air carrier LIAT has sounded the call, saying that business costs are having a significant impact on the costs of air travel.
This comes amid discussions of factors that could be influencing the high cost of air travel within the Caribbean.
“The cost of doing business within our region is very significant,” Brian Challenger, LIAT’s Chief Executive Officer said.
He noted that governments have to look into making departments like customs much more efficient.
“We still have airports where after 4 o’clock you have to take customs officers home and feed them. These are costly and time-consuming… we’re hoping that more of our territories will move to a model which is a bit more business-friendly,” Mr. Challenger noted.
liat sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s what a little competition will do. They hear Caribbean Airlines coming so they AFRAID!
They ‘ve been taking us for a ride with their high ticket prices and lousy customer service.
They have been hiding behind “the airline of the caribbean ” banner while they suck our blood.
They better get their act together or they will follow the dynosaures into extinction
Liat needs to stop lying to the people of the caribbean, tell the caribbean the true reason why prices are so high. If we do some research we will realise that that bosses in Antigua are the ones being paid exhorbitant salaries while the pilots and other workers struggle. Liat does not have to take any Customs Officer home after hours nor do they have to feed them dinner. In most caribbean islands, working hours are from 8-4 with the exception of mondays so obviously after 4 or before 8 will be extra hours. Liat only has one flight before 8 and 2 flights after 4 so how can the over time bill be so high.
LIAT HAS 2 FLIGHTSD BEFORE 8 AND 2 AFTER 4PM….IF U WANT CONFIRMATION OF THE OVERTIME CHEQUES PAID TO CUSTOMS U CAN ALWAYS DO SOME DIGGING.
People comment on DNO from mere speculation, people who come here and speak facts are the informed ones so i think people should inform themselves of the REAL reasons why LIAT’s prices are so high then come here and make comments against the REAL reasons and not LIAT.
I don’t care why their prices are so high. They should have been trying to rectify that years ago. There is no excuse. And if they had reasons they should have been more transparent and showed customers ages ago. They have had too mum of a lie if or sit by it approach.
you see you all just against liat soo much, why are prices in fuel soo high? you all blame liat for world economic problems? you all are soo dumb
“We still have airports where after 4 o’clock you have to take customs officers home and feed them. These are costly and time-consuming… we’re hoping that more of our territories will move to a model which is a bit more business-friendly,” Mr. Challenger noted.
Are you kidding me??? I want a job like that….I would maybe as fat as young bull.
these things don’t happen in Dominica for sure we have our own vehicles provided by the government to take us home and we surely dont get fed by Liat
ARE YOU AWARE THAT LIAT PAY CUSTOMS OVERTIME IN DOMINICA WHILE ITS OWN STAFF DON’T GET PAID OVERTIME UNLESS ITS A PUBLIC HOLLIDAY……
You also have to note that all the different taxes being implemented by various governments to assist them with their respective economies affects the fares and the public is not aware of that and liat takes the blame. With night landing coming to Dominica there will be a further increase of overtime to customs that Liat will have to pay so at the end of the day who is increasing the fares.
The non profitable routes that Liat has to service to keep the Caribbean connected comes at a cost. Nobody gives Liat any credits when we give humanitaran services eg the hurricane that affected St Lucia and earthquake in Haiti. Liat get no concessions nor payments to operates any routes compared to other carriers. Navigation, landing and communcation fee make it very expensive to operate in Dominica.
tell it to them my brother or sister who ever u are….liat operated flights free of charge to bring releif supplies to haiti……liat supplied st lucia with an aircraft to assist in shuttling ppl from north to south during hurricane thomas but you don’t hear them talking about that…..you just cant please dominicans…sometimes when i travel i feel so ashamed by the behavior of dominicans…..where ever in the caribbean u travel the airport staff tell you its always easy to know a dominican….the minute they hear a flight delayed the crying they hungry…..shame on us….why be so quick to bring down liat when ifs found lacking in some areas but don’t give it kodos when it does good things?
You’d swear and say that is yesterday prices began to increase. Cost of travelling has been extremely high for the past how many years. Are you afraid of somethign LIAT? Well if it means that lower cost of doing business means lower air fares then more travelling then that’d be good. Has to be mutual.
Flying with Liat is very expensive, however they have almost a 100% safety record. That we most not forget.On the matter relating to reduce cost,governments must ensure that if these costs are reduced or completely taken off that ticket prices will be reduced.
Are we supposed to be thankful to LIAT taking us to our destination safely? I thought that was what we were paying for? There is an expectation that when you board a flight you will get there safely and on time.
tell living island anytime boss hold his bs to himself,only now he seeing that?
i know in dominica liat has to pay custom officers overtime for its morning flights that come before 8am and its afternoon flights after 4 pm which adds up to over 10,000.00 every month and landing fees and rental of office space and utilities….yet u hear the ppl crying bout liat flights to expensive..eliminate some of those burdesome fees that liat has to pay on a monthly basis and i can almost guarantee cheaper fares.
I understand what you saying but they could have negotiated these things a long time ago. They could have also made the public more aware by being more transparent. Liat has been ignoring Dominicans for so long and giving rubbish service to the entire Caribbean. Maybe now their service will improve with competition. And does the fees they pay and the fares that I pay for their service contribute to one of their femal staff giving me, a frequent flyer the f word? After I payed that’s what I got. And I was just enquiring, I wasnt even upset
Liat does not pay any Customs Officer overtime get your facts straight. and what is 50 dollars a day vs a ticket to Guadeloupe of 900.00
GUESS ULL HAVE TO ASK THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES TO REMOVE THE OVER 400.00 DOLLARS IN TAXES U PAY ON THE TICKETS….AND SEEMS LIKE YOU NEED TO DO SOME HOMEWORK WHERE THE OVERTIME PAID TO CUSTOMS IS CONCERNED….I KNOW FOR A FACT LIAT PAYS CUSTOMS IN EXCESS OF 10 000.00 EVERY MONTH…YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN CUSTOMS SO ASK ANYONE WHO HAS WORKED AT MELVILLHALL AIRPORT….
Oh so now it seems Liat getting competition and all of a sudden they in price reductions and looking to enhance the way they do business? It’s about time. Something had to give. I mean Liat has been their for so long and only now they tying to put a stamp on efficiency? While you at it sir, make sure you efficient on customer service and delivery of luggage. Thank you very much
I so agree with you. For a long time customers have been complaining about LIAT. I wonder why only now [ as trinidad is about to directly compete with Caribbean Airlines] they scrambling to address issues. Liat got caught with the pants down, similar to when Digicel entered the mobile market in the caribbean and cable and wirless was forced to make good.
WELL MAYBE IF CARIBBEAN TRAVELLERS ADHERED TO LIATS BAGGAGE POLICIES THEN MAYBE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN END TO THE BAGGAGE PROBLEMS…
What does that have to do with me? I adhere to it that’s all I care about. I pay for what I want n they should deliver. And so what if we don’t? We pay for being over so what’s the problem? Its the same in every country now. And when you pay elsewhere you don’t arrive with the cloths in your back