Leeward Island Air Transport (LIAT) said it is sticking to its decision to close its city offices across the Caribbean, a move that could see over that will see over 100 job losses across the region.
Secretary Treasurer of the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union Kertiste Augustus formed part of a meeting called by LIAT in Barbados on Tuesday to discuss the matter.
But he said the trade unions intervention could not avert the planned lay-off of staff.
“In all of the presentations, what we heard was the need to reduce the staff compliment in order to keep LIAT flying,: he said. “The union responded by looking at the high unemployment which exists in the Caribbean and that we cannot accept the redundancies because to our mind they would further aggravate an already serious situation.”
Augustus said the unions also talked about the sacrifices that the workers made to keep the company afloat.
“We had wage freeze for almost four years, cut back in benefits, pension payments were suspended. All of that was done with a view to keep LIAT flying” he stated.
Augustus said LIAT had failed to implement the initial recommendations made by the union to prevent staff cuts.
Why is everyone so negative.
From the comments I was able to read and understand, the majority were moronic and irrelevant. The number of Dominicans flying daily with LIAT cannot keep the company afloat, with regard to the various fixed and variable costs it has to face each and every day. This small carrier has to be bank-rolled with ever larger government subsidies to provide what is in reality a social service. In other words, the gap between income=paying passengers, and expenditure=wages,fuel,airport dues et al, from running an airline makes LIAT a lose making venture. Without the added financial support from Governments, loss making routes would not happen, unfortunately the route to and from DA is one such loss making route.
This is also compounded, by the size of the airport runways,which renders the use of larger aircrafts being able to carry more fare paying passengers virtually impossible. It could also be argued the amount of daily fare paying passengers would render these larger aircrafts uneconomic. It seems we Dominicans have an over inflated sense of our worth. By that I mean we cannot afford to support LIAT by the income we bring to the company coffers, using the present level of fares being charged. It also seems that the commentators, do not take into account that far larger airline carriers are scaling back both their personnel and routes plied in these economic times.
The company also is not responsible for the corruption and calibre of ground staff, who enhance their wages by illegal and unlawful means. The same dis-satisfaction with the above is echoed throughout the world. LIAT is not the exclusive stronghold of such passenger dis-satisfaction. The airline industry operates a voluntary insurance scheme, which each and every airline passenger can subscribe to, in order to mitigate any reasonable losses from said activities by ground staff. So if you want to have a secure flight take out the insurance, that’s why it is there. When the amounts getting paid out becomes noticable, the insurance companies with their economic clout will begin the clearing out of these miscreant ground staff.
We all want to have things for free, its human nature! However, if you cannot afford to financially undertake flying, then don’t! The computer that all of us have used to voice our assinine and pathetic comments can be used to educate ourselves and also reduce the need to fly! Most if not all companies have a web address or email address, that can be used to obtain all sorts of information or goods. This reduces the need to go overseas to personally get involved in our little desire to obtain goods or services. The same way that we can prattle about “witches, broomsticks,theft,freeness etc”, the same way we can use the internet for what it was designed for.
Its is not called the “Information Super-highway”for nothing.
So please can allu putting comment online recognise, the fact that our children can read, and so please help them to see things properly, be educators! Help them by including information, that the articles do not always have the space or need to include.
alot of you people cant even affod to buy petol to put in ur vehicles but all you want to talk about flying…fares not that high .face it you ppl are bokes and can’t pay the ticket price.
tht day will comw when my people will be freed from the cancer called LIAT
One day Dominicans will miss LIAT when you have no other means of Air Transport. All you will always remain the Backside of the caribbean with no International Airport.
All you always want free ride, free cargo everything free on the airline, you all or your govenrment never give back or invest in the company. everything is just a bad talk, thats why Dominica can never rise. aLL YOU ALWAYS HUNGRY WHEN liat FLIGHTS DELAY.
YOU ALWAYS KNOW A DOMINICAN AT ANY AIRPORT WHEN LIAT IS DELAYED, THEY ALWAYS HUNGRY, HUNGRY, HUNGRY SET OF PEOPLE AND WICKED WITH NO UNDERSTANDING.
for you to see the masses of Dominicans who are left like dogs at other airline counters but they always have mouth for LIAT.
LIAT is the most succesfull investment in the caribbean, keep flying high LIAT, bypass Dominica and leave them to travel on canoes and fig boats.
poor thing… I feel ur pain.. Shame on u if u a Dominican.
I could see u maybe never had a wealthy life so u dont know better… If u talking so much invest in a plane or soso an international airport.. Think everything come easy like u… Come on give the gov a break and the people of dominica unlike urself…stop calling us down where u travel unlike u people talk highly of Dominicans being friendly and respectful… Maybe u grow up long pigs so u cant know better so i forgive u…
@ Pride………….Murda u have a kicks eh………..well sah………….dough worry man they first have something to say about LIAT but trust me they first will CRY…………LEAVE MY AIRLINE ALONE…….!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m sorry for people losing their jobs but this was inevitable and the union knows it. They are behaving like Luddites. Concentrate on getting the best possible redundancy deal for your members and help them find new jobs instead of fighting a lost cause.
REALLY DO NOT MEAN TO BE RUDE BUT A TRIP TO DOMINICA, I THINK I WAS HAVING MY LAST SUPPER. FIRST PLANE SOUND LIKE IT WAS TIRED GETTING READY TO GO IN AIR, IS CRY I CRYING. TRUST ME I SAID TO MYSELF IF I EVER HAD TO GO TO DA AND IS LIAT ALONE THEY HAVE I WOULD NEVER FLY. THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY TRIP BY THE WAY. I HAD NO CHOICE.
Remember Alan Stanford. The man who dared to introduce Caribbean Airlines to give LIAT competition. They grudginly let Caribbean Airlines fly only to be giving him hell behind the scences. Then when that wasn’t enough they forced him to sell and to ensure he wouldn’t try again they set him up to have him jailed.
Now LIAT is in shambles and they are doing all this “to keep flying”. For those who fail to believe in Karma, I hope now it is seen. Those who own LIAT who turned a blind eye to the thefts of peoples luggage, the extra fees to buy new tickets because of missed connections and all the other hurts that LIAT caused it’s customers, they are now left to scramble.
Here goes NIGHT LANDING!!!!
Delta, British Airways, Americam, Virgin Atlantic, Continental, Air Italia, JAP, Singapore Airlines, Air India, Caribbean Airlines, Air Jamaica, Air France and the others will come in.
LIAT can GO!! We have other AIlines to take it spot ….NIGHT LANDING gason!!!
may be you can stretch out you tonge and all the airlines you mentioned can land on it…..idiot
LOL
lol
:-
Oh Daisy, you made me laugh til my tummy hurt. True say though.
Ms Daisy i want to shake your big toe!!!!!
AGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LIAT should be allowed to gooooo………………..a better solution will replace this cancer that has been killing the caribbean ppl.
Why they must go eh…………I sure is people like all u so that have it where it is now for theifing people departure tax………..DONT GET ME STARTED!!!!!!!!!!
I’m suprised at former airline staff, i wonder why you not in the airline business? Caribbean Star stop fly? LIAT KNOCK ALL YOUFROMTHE SKY? LIAT has BIGGER AND BETTER TINGS TO COME.
LIAT TAKE WHAT YOU GET FOR MISPALCING PEOPLE”S BELONGINGS
shut up , shut the ===== up, LIAT EVER MISPLACE U ?You’re still alive and thank god for that.
I do understand about misplacing people belongings eh………….All them rest airlines doesnt misplace…….ALL U BLACK PEOPLE JUST SOME REAL INGRATES…………grhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
LIAT has had a monopoly for a while now. Their prices are so exhorbitant yet they have to close. When you are a capitalist pig, Allah will not reward the ungrateful ones. If you had an acceptable price for flying, you would see the blessings from the All Mighty.
I only feel compassion for those who will lose their daily bread but not for liat. I pray that Dominica will have it’s own airlines Allah’s willing so that we would not have to depend on LIAT.
…be careful. Never heard that pigs may fly? I think in your case Solomon’s flying carpet may be more appropriate (….and cheaper too!).
Woieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee……………….i still cant get up from the floor after this comment!!!!!!!!!!
The Next Level
Dominica will have to turn to China for a loan to finance an airline for Dominica
From since i was a little girl it was ony LIAT…Now i am in my fourties and is still LIAT only now Liat is worse off than they were back in the 70s and 80s…ummmmm..i wonder why…I think its a good idea for dominica to have its own airline so we can stop dependig on an airline thats going BACKWARDS instead of FORWARD
Amen
why dont you take your broom and fly people across the region, it would be cheaper you old soucouyant. LIAT is the best that ever happen in the region. Your Government need to upgrade its own Airport. I cant believe Dominicans, its time for you to fly your broom.
this is so sad; what can i say “sorry”.