PHILLIPSBURG, St. Maarten, September 16, 2011 – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of regional airline LIAT Mr. Brian Challenger has called for more cooperation among players in the region’s travel and tourism sectors to help resolve the main constraints faced by air travellers.
Mr. Challenger made the call today during a presentation at the inaugural three-day Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) State of the Industry Conference which opened in St. Maarten on September 15.
Pointing out that cooperation is key to “overcoming the hurdles and making intra-Caribbean travel work” the LIAT CEO said that the CTO has a critical role to play in this regard. He reiterated his call for the CTO to facilitate dialogue and partnership between all tourism stakeholders including airlines, hotels, airports and tourism authorities.
The LIAT official said hurdles to regional travel include economic conditions, preferences for extra-regional travel, regulatory barriers, technical challenges and the cost of regional travel.
On the issue of the high cost of air travel Mr. Challenger noted that there were several factors contributing to this. These include high operating costs such as fuel, labour, maintenance, capital costs, regulatory costs, taxation and government charges; as well as the small and fragmented regional markets.
In presenting his vision for the future of aviation in the region Mr. Challenger said there was a need to build a more attractive and competitive Caribbean product pointing to the unique Caribbean festivals and diverse shopping attractions.
He said LIAT’s role in intra-Caribbean travel cannot be overemphasized noting that the island-hopping carrier flies approximately 120 sectors daily moving some 950,000 passengers annually.
Mr. Challenger was part of a panel discussion which included the executives of other airlines in the region. The discussion, which also included input from the attendees, was moderated by well-known Caribbean journalist, Tony Fraser.
LIAT /
deadline 30-12-2011
After 53 years Liat’s service to the region has been very poor, if they can’t do it any more clear out and give another carrier a chance. They keep on blocking every new player who is coming on the horizon, their service is terrible, rude and aggressive staff. The worst thing is to lose your baggage with them, one doesn’t mind missing and receive it the following night but you just never get your bags sometimes and they refuse your claims most times or pay you next to nothing. Can one understand after all these years liat cannot handle missing/lost bags professionally. Their customer service is horrible, you call the call centre in Antigua and it is as if you are disturbing them and Mr challenger talks about cooperation. The worst mistake liat could have done is to close the office in Dominica, the ladies there were helpful and understanding, we dominicans are only suffering under Liat’s bad management. It is just a front when they come to Dominica and discuss with Government about night flights, they have no intension of doing so because dominica is not a priority for them.
All of a sudden now LIAT is calling for cooperation because times are getting harder and harder even for them operating a monopoly. Let me tell you LIAT, you are the worst offender for scaring tourists away that rely on inter-island travel.
Reasons: 1) your prices are extortionate, 2) your service is disgusting (dirty and torn plane interior, insufficient air-con, constant delays, etc.) 3) rude and unfriendly check in staff, 4) rude and unfriendly security staff mainly at Antigua (you might argue that has nothing to do with LIAT but it has. Any airline using an airport as their hub should press that airport authority to address these issues). I could go on and on but I have not got the time. But ask yourself this question: why is LIAT the only airline I know that does not conduct any customer surveys? I know why – they know the outcome already.
I think it is pointless for islands like Dominica, who are so reliant on LIAT, to promote their island at a huge expense all over the world. Because the minute these tourist arrive in Antigua airport and have to use LIAT’s services, their Caribbean dream is ruined before having reached their final destination. So, Mr. Challenger, do not call for ‘a more attractive and competitive Caribbean product’ because that attractive product is in existence but getting to the product is the problem. Get your own house in order first and I am sure that will benefit the Eastern Caribbean area very much without them having to spend a further penny! Because let’s face- Mr. Challenger’s call for ‘cooperation’ means nothing else but asking the stakeholders to invest more money in more promotion and advertising which of course in return means – more customers for LIAT.
LIAT has the GUTTS to keep flying into Dominica because many other Airlines would not fly into a country with soo many ungratefull hyprocrites. Others swear that by Dominicans behaviour at Regional Airports have placed a negative impact on the island’s image. I urge Dominicans again to be a reading public and get your facts staright before you make the rest of the region laugh at you.
You have the potential for development, stop begging for food at Antigua’s Airport when LIAT delay, your people have been dubbed the hungriest of caribbean travellers.
Instaed you make the chinese build other buildings get them to build you an International Airport where you dont have to pass through Antigua.
LIAT IS OUR AIRLINE, TAKE YOUR FIG BOATS ELSEWHERE BECAUSE IS REJECT YOU ALL GIVING US IN ANTIGUA. ANTIGUA STARTED TO PLANT GET YOUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
Antiguan, you’re right, we ot a reading public. Dominicans want everthing for free. we need to realise that fuel prices are affecting every one right now, look at our transportation system a bus from meville hall to roseau or take a taxi instead. Airport Taxes, it’s crazy. I don’t blame LIATfor it’s high fares.
Red Jet on the other hand charge you the taxes at the counter, plus for each of your luggage plus meals onboard and security taxes and iff you overweight or have an extra bag, its extortion. by the time you leave the Red Jet counter, you end up paying the full fare.
Dominica needs an internatioal Airport to fully understand that other Airlnes run through the same problems as LIAT and that LIAT Airlines cant do it alone. We have Ross University to think about , tourists and All Saints University we need to think about o to move masses of people to Dominica.
You ust cannot blame an airline, challenge your government for an intrnational airport and reap the rewards.
Mr C
I hate to inform you if you want to apolojoice for LIAT poor servic to DA, do so and let me thin of supporting you