Government and airport officials meet with top LIAT officials re night landing

Brian Challenger

Government and other airport personnel met last week with top LIAT (Leeward Islands Air Transport) officials to discuss the company’s role in providing night landing services to Dominica.

The runway extension project of the Melville Hall Airport is expected to be completed in March, 2010, so night landing services can commence on the island.

Acting Chief of LIAT, 1974 Ltd, Brian Challenger, was among the LIAT contingent visiting Dominica on Friday 26th, March, 2010. In an interview with GIS News, Mr. Challenger explained the purpose of the visit to Dominica.

“Basically, the purpose of my visit to Dominica was really to meet with officials involved in the Airport Development Project, specifically to look at the issues and the possibilities for night landing for LIAT services into Melville Hall.

We brought down a team from our flight operations department: Acting Director of Flight Operations and our Chief Technical Officer. They have been meeting with the officials here in Dominica.”

Mr. Challenger described the meeting with Mr. Benoit Bardouille, CEO of the Dominica Sea and Airport Authority as useful; however, there are still some issues to be resolved as it relates to night landing. Among those issues is safety.

“I think that really substantial work has been done. I think credit really has to go to the Government and people of Dominica for the major achievements that have been done to bring us where we are today. As I said earlier, we are still looking at the safety issues. There is still some topographic information and meteorological information that I think is required. As I said, safety is really the critical issue here and we want to ensure, we have to ensure, as a matter of fact, that all the various technical requirements are in place for night landing and that is what we are working towards,” he said.

Government is also holding discussions with American Airlines officials regarding their service to Dominica.

– Government Information Service

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39 Comments

  1. curtis
    May 12, 2010

    half a loaf is better than none. we really need to stop being so negative. We at least got night landing , let us work with that, and think positive. Every body just criticizing. grow up ,our mentality could be so shallow sometimes. At least the government is hanging our hat where we could reach it, especially is these hard economy. lets just make the best of what we have until God Blesses us with more. i really wish we could be like the other islands with international airports, but alot of things has to be put in place. it s not as easy as it seems.

  2. Anonymous
    April 16, 2010

    they should have admrial Micheal Mullen and admiral gray roughead general James Conway genreal James Cartwright general Norton shurtwz and Dr Robert m gates to do the maps and to build Dominica Wesley international airport.

  3. April 15, 2010

    Dominicans who continue to blast LIAT, just know that LIAT was and is always there for you through rain, sleek and snow and you still keep bashing the hand that transport you to an island that all Airlines are afraid to land?

    LIAT and AA are the old brooms, especially LIAT know to sweep all the corners and fly all your terrian.

    DOMINICANS ARE TOO UNGRATEFULL.

    If LIAT can land in St Vincent, then they can land in Dominica.

    NO AIRLINE CAN COME AND TAKE LIAT PLACE IN THE CARIBBEAN THE POPULATION OF ANTIGUA IS LARGER THAN DOMINICA AFTER WE ARE THE MINORITY AND I WILL STILL SUPPORT LIAT.

  4. Nothing new in DA
    April 14, 2010

    Tamika davidson daa!
    This is absolutley more like failure.Mr Challenger was hedging this issue and was just warning us indirectly. using James Ingram’s”There ain’t no easy way of breaking somebody’s heart ” Tamika ,can’t you read between the lines child? There just ain’t no easy way of doing that. You do not want to wake up morning after morning hearing sad news on all our local stations.
    I recommend Charles Savrin ,Skerrit ,Reggie, Blackmore, Julie cooc etc including ambassadors and advisors fly in at night for one month.Then only then should the public be allowes to consider flying in at night. . The news of polands rulers gone in a heart beat should bring some degree of sanity. I resat my case Tammie.

  5. BUBBLE BURSTER
    April 13, 2010

    Dominicans need to open their eyes and ears….there WILL NEVER BE ANY NIGHT LANDING AT MELLVILLE HALL AIRPORT!!! NEVER!!! The project wasn’t done with the intention of having night landing because of the topography of the area. It’s just to accommodate the travelling public and extend the runway which should have been done long time ago for the safety of aircraft. Please read over what the LIAT chairman said! He reinforces the point that the topography is still a safety concern. So until they blast them mountains down there will be no night landing. Don’t make Skerrit fool all you!! All that glitters is not gold!!

    • Piton
      April 14, 2010

      I agree. As some pilots friends of mine have said. This isn’t happening, because they love their lives.

  6. looking in
    April 13, 2010

    It is due time that our gov STOP kissing LIAT backside LIAT belong to Antigua they treat we DOMINICANS like dirt Mr PM bring competition to the airport start looking at internatonal airlines just as AA is doing from Puerto Rico to home in the USA we have to collect a mortgage to visit our country thats ashame we can go to St Lucia ticket costing $175.00 round trip right in our back yard WHAT IS WRONG? Mr PM we are suffering tooooooo much when we have to visit our country HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP

  7. Homeboy
    April 13, 2010

    “There is still some topographic information and meteorological information that I think is required”… This night landing is risqué , no matter what, let alone at night in Dca. Elevations have to identified by strobe lights, location beacons placed, plus weather instruments updated….

    This is more complicated and dangerous than it looks.. This has nothing to do with a particular party but more with logic.! How logical is night landing at that site? Maybe not until mountains are completely graded.

  8. tamika davidson
    April 13, 2010

    I say go for it, nothing beats a trial but a failure!

  9. Anonymous
    April 13, 2010

    “The runway extension project of the Melville Hall Airport is expected to be completed in March, 2010, so night landing services can commence on the island.”

    March 2010? Does our calendar count backwards?

    And Liat stopped being Leeward Islands Air Transport since 1976.

  10. April 13, 2010

    Are there differences in Approval for Military vs Civilian aircraft?

    Follow the link and ask yourself why and who built it?

    http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63115A20100402

    Check the distunces to Bird island and ask yourself why a closer fuel storage and night lighted airport are needed
    http://www.thedominican.net/articlesone/aves.htm
    http://www.thedominican.net/images/article_images/aves.jpg

  11. JAH BLESS
    April 13, 2010

    OK LOOK WHY YOU GETTING MAD AT ME FOUR FIRST OF ALL TO BUILD AN ECONOMY YOU NEED INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE BEST WAY TO START IS WITH ARE ROADS AND PORTS I JUST THINK IF THE DEMAND OF FOOD WAS HIGH DO YOU THINK DOMINICA WOULD NEED A BIGGER SHIPPING PORT I THINK AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ALONG WITH MORE HOTELS WOULD DO THE TRICK BUT AT THE SAME TIME LIKE IN SAINT VINCENT OR BETTER YET LOOK AT Orlando International Airport WHERE THERE IS A TERMINAL AND HOTEL IN SIDE ONE ANOTHER. IT ALSO ONE OF MY BIGGEST DREAM TO HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND AT LEAST 2 FIVE STAR HOTELS AND VILLAS AND ALSO A GOLF COURSE THERE. AND MAYBE TURN DOWNTOWN ROSEAU INTO A CORPORATE REVENUES LIKE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO I JUST HOPE YOU WONT JUDGE UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY FEEL THE PINCH IN THE WORLD ECONOMY THANK YOU.

  12. BB
    April 13, 2010

    The article clearly states WHY night landing is delayed! Stop asking why its taking so long.

    • jah bless
      April 13, 2010

      i asking why it take so long because the project it self had some many due dates that they didnt finish thats why

  13. STAY TUNED
    April 13, 2010

    Oh so that is why the night landing taking time to happen like that….the date on which it is expected to complete is till March 2010 in our next life….Oh I get it now man…NEXT LEVEL…

    • LawieBawie
      April 13, 2010

      You are full of s#!+. Obviously that is some sort of typo. You people need to be more mature when contributing comments to these discussions.

  14. CB CUZ
    April 13, 2010

    Maybe instead of pushing for night landing the government and liat officials should be pushing for some ontime arrivals and departures and less loss luggage before starting night landing

    • celebrity
      April 13, 2010

      Valid point!

  15. Prophet2
    April 13, 2010

    If you build it, they will come. Why do you have to beg LIAT?

  16. Laplaine princess
    April 13, 2010

    Some of you all are so negative.. Don’t you think they should make sure all is safe before opening night landing? I believe that’s a great effort the Government of Dominica is doing> God continue to bless them.

    • April 13, 2010

      Thank you princess. if there is one thing that I know about us Dominican, is that we dont show appreciation. there is always somthing that we complain about. if Dominica is to go forword we all need to grow up and STOP speking Negertive about our lovely Island Dominica. The good book says (THERE IS POWER IN THE TOGHN) My people lets start praying for our country and it’s leaders.
      be careful of what you profess it will become a reality .

  17. cc
    April 13, 2010

    I wish the government will give us a definite date as to when night landing will actually start. First they said November 2009 than they said march 2010. I wonder what seems to be the delay?

  18. apple
    April 13, 2010

    Wait – is ” expected” to commence in March 2010…which year and what month are we noh?

  19. mo'Nique
    April 13, 2010

    Does this means more ppl will be employed at the airport really need information on thet cause i have alot of experiences as ticket and sales agent at the airport and would not mind working at the airport

  20. April 13, 2010

    we need to move forward

  21. 4u2C
    April 13, 2010

    Nigh landing at Melvill Hall is a total waste of time – An accident waiting to happen!!! It is bad enough when it rains during the day to have additional risk at night, This is a a planned DISASTER!! Not only that, no increase in airlines competition and going to Dominica will be more expensive because LIAT has to add aditional fees for additional risk—–It is a damn shame that this is the best we can do in 2010. In the mean time Lester Bird intl. is expanding and st.Kitts is expanding–we still trying to perfect a Hellicopter Landing Pad—-

    • Toot Too bouche
      April 13, 2010

      Lester bird has no airport name after him.It is Vere Cornwall Bird Int’l (V.C.Bird) Please profess better for your country than the Gloom and Doom.It’s all about DA and nothing or no one else first.

  22. tonyyayo2004
    April 13, 2010

    we need to open the airport soon how long will this take we also need an international airport

  23. Socabashment01
    April 13, 2010

    we need a new prime minster

    • mo'Nique
      April 13, 2010

      wher is dat comin out new prime minister for wat

    • Truth B Told
      April 13, 2010

      What a foolish and irrelevant comment.

      If you wish to contribute to the discussion at least attempt to address the subject and make some sort of point.

      • Socabashment01
        April 14, 2010

        we need a better prime minster that can build an international airport thats the next level or dissolve parliament

    • Dominican for sure
      April 13, 2010

      I Totally disagree with u….we need 3 more PM’s like that one….

  24. I cant wait!
    April 13, 2010

    That will be so great when the night landing commences, no longer will people have to overnight in san juan or antigua. I hope they take their time and resolve every little issue, carefully plan and execute what has to be done. And illuminate those lights and bring her in.

    The minute the start am gonna book a flight.

    • April 13, 2010

      why just settle for less we should have an international airport by now its a waste of time we should get the help form cuba and kuwait and dubia and also admiral Micheal Mullen general James Conway

  25. April 13, 2010

    This is great! i hope this means reduced fares because of the extended times. Most AA flights from America have to overnight in Puerto Rico. I hope they can get this implemented before the holiday season in october

  26. March 2011
    April 13, 2010

    The gov’t is negotiating with liat to commence night landing and is stating that the provision for the same is expected to be completed in march 2010. The said month has been long gone.

  27. jah bless
    April 13, 2010

    ok this is what i am talking about more delays why is it taken so long. We should have done the topographic information and meteorological information done before they came to Dominica. That makes me mad we wait to see the development of the airport and its not right we should have an international airport by now wih all the money we spent on it think about it, how much dose it cost to get the requirement done now a few million or two? if Dominica was smart they would gone in and build the international airport in Wesley. i think the government need to change for the next project they do. skerrit out new political party in

    • True Dominican
      April 13, 2010

      Jah Bless, you need to stop thinking Political when it comes to managing your country Dominica. PM Skerrit and his team is and has been doing a wonderful job. This may not go down good with you because of how you think political. I do agree that we need an International Airport.

      Let,s say we get it built, How many hotel rooms do we have to accommodate 4 300 seater international flights atleast 3 times a week? Have you ever thought of that; where these 1200 hundred persons 3 times a week are going to get a room?

      Secondly, can our economy now maintain an international airport? Great thought for food, let’s say Carnival Cruise Develops a problem and every one has to get off the ship and find a room to sleep, can Dominica hotel rooms handle that?

      Socabashmento1

      If not the Great Leadership skills of PM Skerrit, and we were in the hand of this bunch of reckless guyz, the International Airport which they claim that they would build would be draining the resources of Dominica now like a swimming pool looses water when the drainer in opened and the pool left to drain. Even your Great grand children would be paying for that airport.

      Give PM Skerrit the opportunity to take Dominica & Dominicans to the NEXT LEVEL

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