Regional airline LIAT continues to provide regular services throughout its network two weeks after a fire destroyed one of its two hangars at the V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua.
Director of Maintenance Alan Alexander explained that the remaining hangar had the capability and ability to maintain the airplanes in accordance with the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority approved maintenance programme.
“We also have ramp maintenance capabilities in Antigua as well as engineering personnel at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados and the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad,” he said.
“With regards for work normally scheduled for the hangar lost in the fire, LIAT has two Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA)-approved Maintenance and Repair Organisations (MROs) and workshops outside of the region (in Canada) to do maintenance work on its aircraft.
“So there is no inability to continue with regular maintenance of our aircraft in compliance with both ECCAA and the manufacturers requirements,” Mr. Alexander added.
As it relates to maintenance records which were destroyed in the fire, the Director of Maintenance said LIAT’s maintenance records are in fact digitally recorded on a network server.
“The maintenance records which were destroyed were hard copy, mainly of a historic nature, that would not normally have been referenced on a daily basis to ensure continued airworthiness,” Mr. Alexander said.
“We are currently working, with assistance from the aircraft and power plant manufacturers, to reconstruct the historical records,” he added.
I recently read a report on LIAT, which stateS, “LIAT has a very poor reputation among both locals and visitors. LIAT’s flights often operate irregularly, with inconsistent arrival and departure times (both late and sometimes early, even if all ticketed passengers are not on-board). Baggage is often misdirected or not loaded entirely. They are known for having very poor customer service, and their staff is surly and unhelpful.”
Call them what you wish, “Late If AT all”; “Luggage In Another Terminal”, “Leave Island Any Time” or “Lost In-between Antigua Trinidad”, LIAT- Leeward Islands Air Transport has been and continues to be the unavoidably choice for many travellers to and from Dominica and other Caribbean islands. As of 2012, LIAT connects 22 destinations throughout the Caribbean.
LIAT owns 3 Dash 8-100s aircraft that are about 19 to 21 years old. These are the aircraft that usually service Dominica, similar to the DHC-8-311 (a leased) aircraft which was completely destroyed in the recent hangar fire while undergoing maintenance. Generally, these DHC–8’s aircraft have a very good international safety record with very few fatal crashes.
The regional Civil Aviation Authorities (ECCAA) does not appear to have any policy on the use of aging aircraft, although many CAA’s worldwide have started limiting the age of passenger aircraft under the age 20 years in an ear of debate on environmentally friendly travel, low fuel consumption, low noise pollution, low emissions and carbon foot print, sustainability and clean air etc. However, even ICAO, the International Aviation Organization, does not appear to have a policy on the matter. Aircraft age is not necessarily linked to safety. It is only required that an airline has in place a manufacturer’s aging maintenance programme.
It is well known, however, that in spite of all its woes, LIAT does have a fairly descent safety record and regularly maintains its aircraft, particularly in light of the fact that it is not necessarily the flying but the frequency and nature of the take offs and landing that actually damage an aircraft over time and LIAT’s fleet undergoes frequent take-offs and landing due to its short distance flying – hopping from Island to Island.
Some facts need tow be rechecked in this post. Some of this information SEEMS to have come from Wikipedia… the same site indicates that LIAT has 18 aircraft and not 3. However more accurate information may be found at http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/LIAT. I think it should also be pointed out that LIAT has never stopped serving the Caribbean like many of the other airlines that have come and gone.
like your comments except the part of “fairly descent safety record” that’s actually an injustice since you can’t name one LIAT flight in the last 40 years that has crashed.
Thank you “Budman”. I am not an expert of aircraft safety, however, I am pretty sure that safety in the airline industry is not limited to the number of crashes. Safety is evaluated according to reported “incidents” or “accidents” or the rate of accidents and incidents. Whereas crashes are recorded as accidents resulting in serious damage to an aircraft and/or injuries, incidents are a range of occurrences associated with the aircraft’s operation that affects or could affect the safety of operations *e.g. problem with a landing gear, overrunning a runway or some violation of CAA regulation or certification etc.. An airline may have a high number of incidents or infractions of CAA regulations, which affects its safety record but may still be awarded a Certificate of Airworthiness (CoA) and considered safe. The point, I was making is that generally LIAT is considered to be a safe airline in light of the fact that regional carriers like LIAT, usually have a high accidents and incidents rate.
mmmmmmmmm a free flight home for elections huh???
you all will not monopolize travel in DOMINICA.
we taking enough licks with Domlec…..
FREE MARKET WE SAY!
a little competition will be good to straighten allu out…mo mercy! say chien mange chien..
but but but since when government getting involved in COMMERCIAL BUSINESS NUH??????????????????????
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si ou tay noway, sa ou pa tay kay di? you will get free ride wait!! 8million is a reason to say alu will continue to be high in the sky, i would say the same ting eh eh, sot moi sot den? pawen skerrit give liat more tan for antiguans to get work and forget those foolish domi in cans, they must put you back there, tell them “go the hell”
If you’re the voice of the people, you must see the positiv outcome of this venture, it is imperative that Dominica become a shareholder in LIAT so that we as Dominicans can have a voice.
I’m proud to say to say that the majority of Aircrew and staff at Antigua are Dominicans by birth and by decent. Dominica will receive more services during major times of the year and the Government an vouch for routes with this new venture.
Despite what we say about LIAT, they still continue to serve us, if they late, they will stll get us to Dominica, it could happen to any business but thank god it wasnt worse. Be a lover, not a hater.
Admin: Why are there no news about the Miami Heat championship? I guess you are not a HEAT fan jk.
We Love You?
you can tell when someone is being bias. i understand wanting to keep liat working cause lets be honest they are very important to the Caribbean. But we love you?
can anyone in their right mind who has been flying on liat honestly say we love liat with the quality of service they provide and yes i know it happens every where and with every airline. but i don’t travel everywhere and i dont travel on every airline.
well wwell coco mackack wat they hideing
I’m soo glad that LIAT has everything in tact digitally for record keeping puposes and that the fire did not cause a halt in the operations.
God is good and LIAT will continue to prosper amidst globalisation and insults. Keep flying high? We love you.