Dominica is among destinations which will be affected as Air Antilles, just two months after moving in to fill the void left by regional airline LIAT, has suspended its Eastern Caribbean operations.
“Air Antilles has today announced temporary suspension of all air services until further notice,” the airline said. “This comes as a result of even more restrictive measures between Paris and its home base in the French West Indies, as well as increased travel protocol restrictions in the Caribbean islands because of the COVID pandemic.”
It said that the cessation of flights was to take effect from Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021 and will directly impact its current service between Barbados, St Lucia and Dominica.
The company said in its statement that it “regrets the decision and would like to thank its loyal passengers and trade partners.”
At a press conference in October, 2020, Air Antilles’ Chief Commercial Officer Romain Hordel revealed that the airline was already providing eight weekly flights from Barbados to St Lucia and four weekly flights to Dominica.
Hordel said the airline’s goal was to provide safe, affordable and reliable service throughout the Caribbean.
According to Barbados Today, Eric Kourry, who founded Air Antilles parent Companie Aérienne Interrégoinale Express (CAIRE) had also hinted at the possibility of Air Antilles providing a direct flight to Europe from Barbados “in the not too distant future”.
He disclosed that talks had already started between Air Antilles and one of France’s major airlines Corsair, over a possible takeover. He said if an agreement was reached, it could provide direct airlift to Europe from Barbados.
“It has already hit the French news that a group of investors and I are actively in the culminating stages of negotiations to purchase France’s second-largest airline Corsair,” the Barbadian newspaper reports Kourry as saying. “So, with this prospect in mind, Barbados stands to reap a two-fold benefit with an additional direct European connection out of a major French gateway.”
Of course if we build an international airport suddenly the world’s major airlines will all come.
Two months? Air Antilles has been coming since the month of August which gives them 5 months operations and not two.
Guadeloupe , January 21, 2021
Air Antilles has today clarified that its announced temporary suspension of air services until further notice applies specifically to its Barbados / St Lucia / Dominica routes only. The heightened positive Covid cases, as well as changing travel protocols, has necessitated the scheduling adjustment.
The company regrets the decision and would like to thank its loyal passengers and trade partners.
For any information, please contact our customer service and call center, [email protected] or call + +590 590 38 43 22.
All refund claims can be made via our website http://www.airantilles.com
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Let’s hope Liat can capitalize on this
Liat you say. Who are they. That company owns their employees for over a year. TheY not viable and still try to stay in the air costing 1/2 million dollars a month and now they trying to make other Caribbean countries feel guilty for that. Stop that nonsense Gaston, You too stubborn man. Put your hand in your own pocket and pay your people, you can afford it.