LIAT drops Guadeloupe/Dominica flights

Regional airline LIAT, has announced that it will no longer be made available flights between Guadeloupe and Dominica.

Flights between the two islands will end on March 2, the company said earlier this week.

LIAT said the decision was made “to achieve greater profitability and improve efficiency.”

Flights from Antigua to the US Virgin Islands will also be terminated.

Flights to St. Croix will end on March 1, while flights to St. Thomas will end on June 14.

“These moves are intended to help stabilize the airline’s flight schedule and network,” the company said.

LIAT has been doing a company-wide review of operations with the goal of ensuring it operates only in commercially viable routes and eliminating underperforming routes.

Meanwhile, LIAT has announced as of Tuesday, February 14th, 2017, all flights into and out of St Vincent will be operated out of the new Argyle International Airport (AIA).

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

40 Comments

  1. Tj
    February 12, 2017

    Here we go again Mr. Piper. It is time you do the horable thing and step down

  2. Hmmmm
    February 12, 2017

    Why did they merge?? They. So greedy they wanted all the crops
    Now they cannot handle it.
    On another note Dominican don’t have money to travel
    People are not working in this country money not flowing in the hands
    Of the Dominican people. They just can’t afford a vacation
    French people coming there black is white. How much Dominican going to the French?
    Local stores closing while Chinese opening. Selling fake brand expensive.
    When supermarket start to close and Chinese supermarket start to open to
    Sell plastic food for Dominican… Maybe then the Labourites will open their eyes.
    This country is going backwards instead of forward. SMDH

  3. anonymous2
    February 12, 2017

    I think that Liat is going to stabilize itself right out of business. Get the boats ready.

  4. Black woman
    February 11, 2017

    My my my where is all de money that was spend on night landing
    I was so excited for night landing what is really going on is this a
    Puppy show that pm really needs to resign

  5. Concerned
    February 11, 2017

    The sad truth is virtually nobody cares about or wishes to travel to Dominica. If Ross wasn’t here air service would be even worse.

    It’s foolish to think anybody would ever invest in an international airport here. Frankly the money wasted on Douglas Charles likely could have been put to better use, it hasn’t improved tourism or anything else except lining certain people’s pockets.

    Clean Roseau up, get rid of the junk cars, regulate the crazy bus drivers, pick up all the trash and make Dominica desirable as an environmental destination. Do this and just maybe we’ll get the tourists and investments to help all of DA. Until then, crying over LIAT is pointless.

    • anonymous2
      February 14, 2017

      You said it. But also, get the crime under control and reform the police department.

    • Targe Jones
      May 11, 2017

      They just dont understand that Dominica IS NOT A DESTINATION ON DEMAND!!! I work in the field of aviation and quite frankly, airlines are operating at lost running to Dominica, we should more see it as they’re doing us a favor. It’s going to take much more than an international airport to invite people. First thing that needs improvement here, is our people’s attitude. If they could only hear how foreigners talk about their bad experience with customer services here, smh hmm.

  6. February 11, 2017

    LIAT after giving travelers enough reason for not using their Airline is now cutting its service to and from the island. This is a slap in the face for Dominica which is working hard to build its tourist industry.

    I would have thought LIAT would be reviewing its operations and trying to pull itself up.
    Have they lost heart? Once another airline horns in and takes their share of the market they may find it is not so easy to gain it back. Everything began going in reverse. If only they had polished their boots! They lost out in the customer service department, showed a disregard for security, and more.

    Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.

  7. budman
    February 11, 2017

    liat ticket prices are high because of govt taxes. check the ticket next time. govt taxes sometimes are greater than the airfare

  8. Zammmy
    February 11, 2017

    Dearest Dominicans, please don’t complain about liat, liat is not the problem, please ask you all beloved PM.
    Ask you all beloved PM about the money pumped into liat and to what effect, ask you all PM.
    Ask you all PM about how hard it is for liat to operate in the airport with the night landing drama, ask you all pm.
    Ask you all PM about international airport and why no international airport in Dominica, ask him……
    Dominica is the only island in OECS without an international airport…..
    So what you guys who voted Skerritt, expect liat to do, run a route dats more costly than gold….?
    Whenever, you all start to cry and cry you all will ask you all PM to comfort you all with CBI funds….
    Ask you all PM or ask you all selves bout liat…..

  9. Tj
    February 11, 2017

    If the leadership is not blamed for DA not having an airport to accommodate long haul flights under P?M. Skeritt who is to be blamed may ask you who are more intelligent?

  10. Tj
    February 11, 2017

    If the leadership is not blamed for DA not having an airport to accommodate long haul flights under P?M. Skeritt who is to be blamed?

  11. Black Man
    February 11, 2017

    The people who talk the most clearly understands the least. Why are some Dominicans bent on obtaining some big airport simply to own it and pay for it because there will be no traffic there except for the same prop aircrafts which are already at the smaller airports.

  12. Sexy da?
    February 10, 2017

    They love thier pm to hell with them every thing going wrong but they thier like dam fools

  13. washay pwell
    February 10, 2017

    Do you think that if flights between Dominica and Guadeloupe were profitable they would be cancelled??? stupess.. liat cancels any route which is not profitable. Flights from Dominica to Guadeloupe were either empty or less than five passengers. And.. we do not need an international airport!! For what??? Do we understand the operations of an international airport?? We would definitely operating at a loss!!

  14. amused
    February 10, 2017

    just now they close down the airport
    cause liat is like the main source of travels for dominica
    waa bondieu

  15. Well, here comes all the thumbs down, in view of LIAT cutting so many routs, it is going to become much more difficult to get flights into and out of Dominica.

    LIAT has been flying between Dominica and Guadeloupe for more than sixty years; there is a high volume of people traveling between Guadeloupe and Dominica; so now Dominicans are going to return to the sixteenth century, and travel by canoe to Guadeloupe, and elsewhere.

    LIAT is going out of business, it is high time, since it is not a profitable entity! I am a disgusting fellow! However, I told you all by the time Argyle International Airport begins operating in St. Vincent, that would be the end of LIAT, and it seems as if I am correct. Hale to the king Skerrit who was ordered by Ralph Gonzalez not to build an International Airport in Dominica, while he Gonzalez was building one in his country, which will commence operating this month!

    So, Skerrit squandered more than five hundred million dollars on a Douglas-Charles…

    • Continue:

      the UWP was spending to build a new International Airport, which Roosevelt Skerrit, the late Pirie Charles, the late Rosie Douglas, Ian Douglas, and Athie Martin, Revere, and others shut down!

      The claimed the less than four hundred thousand dollars Edison James was spending to build the Airport was too much; too expensive. Ian Douglas told the nation that they could build one for a fraction of what Edison was spending. He even contend they could get a soft loan no interest paid; then they claimed they had investors in Dubai who are going to build their airport, and operate it, and after they make back the money they spent, they would give the Airport free of charge to the Labor Party government.

      Ian Douglas, where is Dominica International Airport?

      Had they not shut down the project that was in its first phase, there would be an international Airport at home for the past twenty years!

  16. da in europ
    February 10, 2017

    DA need an international airport and a hospital well equipment cause tourisms all around world want to feel secure and our da people too

    • anonymous2
      February 12, 2017

      There is no money to build an airport anyway. It will never happen. Will only happen when the Chinese decide to do so.

      • Me
        February 12, 2017

        You are right, and when they do it will also have a military capability.

  17. Jacob & Esau Gen. 25-28
    February 10, 2017

    Jacob is PM Gonsalves of STV ; Esau is Skerrit.

    “Meanwhile, LIAT has announced as of Tuesday, February 14th, 2017, all flights into and out of St Vincent will be operated out of the new Argyle International Airport (AIA).”

    How Jacob tricked Esau:

    1. Taiwan was going to help DA build an inte/ airport and Jacob told Esau and the DLP that Dominica can’t afford it
    2. Esau listened to Jacob and kicked Taiwan outfor China, but Jacob embraced Taiwan
    3. Jacob got Taiwan to help them build inter/ airport, but Esau got night landing
    4.Tuesday 14, 2017 Jacob opening brand new airport with ALL LIAT flights ; March Esau losing another LIAT flight
    5.. Come Tuesday, Jacob opening NEW airport while Esau going to hell with protest
    6. Jacob says NO to sale of Passports; Esau says IF not CBI then what?
    7..Jacob says NO to the Baroness; Esau says Baroness is best

    Key verse: Esau said, “His name is Jacob.. That is the right name for him. He has tricked me twice. Gen 27:36 ERV

    • Malgraysa
      February 10, 2017

      I would not rejoice too soon. St. Vincent runs a massive deficit and P.M. Gonsalves announced tax hikes in his presentation of the budget this week in an attempt to reduce this.:
      vat increases from 15% to 16%, tourism occupation tax up from 10% to 11% and departure tax doubled from $50 to $100. It is clear that this airport development comes at a cost and a tax burden, which is ironically is not conducive to the development of tourism.

    • sousel sowi
      February 10, 2017

      So a big man like Skerrit running his own country allows himself to be fooled by another PM looking out for his country best interests?

      An international airport in Dominica – the most midway of all Eastern Caribbean countries would have made us an ideal location over Antigua and Barbados… Now we are losing flights!

      Just proves that Skerrit is a fool….

  18. The Truth Be Told
    February 10, 2017

    One day, in time this will be the demise of LIAT. Through the years, LIAT disappointed D/cans who have had to put up with its poor service.
    If it is better to fly to Guadeloupe/Martinique and take the ferry to D/ca, so be it.
    Those who reside in Canada can fly to Guadeloupe and take the ferry to D/ca. There are some D/cans who travel that route.
    PM, it may be time to consider an international airport. The thought crossed my mind, all D/cans who are able to save and contribute some funding to help build this airport should consider it. In so doing we will feel that we are assisting our country. Every bit counts.
    There is some degree of happiness, satisfaction and well-being in helping. We are passing through and will not take anything with us. We should leave something tangible behind for future D/cans. Those who will be born/living then should also help to maintain it.
    How about this, fellow D/can residents and worldwide? This is a challenge. :lol:

    • Nothing Change
      February 10, 2017

      Why hang your hat higher than you can reach? No international jets are going to make regular runs into Dominica. You can rarely get a direct flight in North America to any city under a million people … it won’t happen here for an island of 70,000.
      Why not start a national AIRLINE instead. Lease two or three planes (with pilots and maintenance included in the lease) and fly on time at the right time to those islands that are the biggest Caribbean hubs … Antigua and Barbados for a start. Most travellers in the bigger outside world are used to transferring planes to get where they want to go. They just expect to do it smoothly and affordably. Unfortunately LIAT doh ready yet for either of those expectations!

      • Black Man
        February 11, 2017

        Most Sensible comment here. the people who talk the most clearly understands the least. Why are some Dominicans bent on obtaining some big airport simple to own it and pay for it because there will be no traffic there except for the same prop aircrafts which are already at the smaller airports.

    • Facts, you need to stop your foolishness! Stop being ignorant, who must be blamed if not the government, and indeed Roosevelt Skerrit, who allowed Ralph Gonzalez of St. Vincent to make a fool out of him, when he took Ralph advise not to build an International Airport in the country beause Dominica does not need one; as simple as that!

      Ralph Gonzales told Skerrit all he had to do is refurbish the old terminal, dig up the river bed, and make a parking lot, install landing lights, for night landings, and Dominica will be set for life!

      We are in the twenty-first century, only a fool would have taken an advise like that and not see that was ram-goat advise he was getting. Skerrit went and spend more than five ($500,000,000.00) hundred million dollars on what he called Douglas-Charles, more than two hundred million dollars more than the UWP was spending to build a new International Airport, which Roosevelt Skerrit, Pirie Charles, the late Rosie Douglas, Ian Douglas, and Athie Martin…

      • anonymous2
        February 14, 2017

        Throwing more money than common maintenance in that airport is a waste because it was built in the wrong place to begin with.

    • Continue:

      The UWP was spending to build a new International Airport, which Roosevelt Skerrit, Pirie Charles, the late Rosie Douglas, Ian Douglas, and Athie Martin shut down!

      Had they not shut down the project that was in its first phase, there would be an international Airport at home for the past twenty years!

    • Malatete
      February 10, 2017

      Very interesting observation. Fare from Fort de France to Paris Orly return this Easter is Eur. 825.88 (U.S.$.878.72 all taxes included), in premium economy class ( full meal service with complementary drinks, preferential -boarding & deplaning, wide seats in a low pressure cabin and a baggage allowance of 2x 23 kg. suitcases per person). This is with AirCaraibe on their brand new Airbus A350-900 wide-body jet). The distance between Ft. de-France and Paris Orly is 4261 miles, 92 times the distance from Melville Hall to Point-a-Pitre! This really puts LIAT in a very unfavourable light. AirCaraibe is privately owned and profitable, whereas LIAT is mostly government owned and has been losing money for years. LIAT should not just re-tailor its routes but get to grips with its overheads and its bloated overstaffing (both management and personnel)..

    • Me
      February 11, 2017

      Lady, please stick to what you know, which apart from the catechism appears to be little to begin with.

  19. Malatete
    February 10, 2017

    PS. I understand that they will also be withdrawing their service to the U.S.V.I. in June.

    • Music Producer
      February 10, 2017

      Flights to St. Croix will end on March 1, while flights to St. Thomas will end on June 14.

  20. time has told
    February 10, 2017

    Waw. I guess they are making way for the other travel providers to capitalize.

  21. Malatete
    February 10, 2017

    Not surprising really. the cheapest LIAT fare (non-flexible) between Melville Hall (DOM) and Point-a-Pitre (PTP)is U.S.$.391.25 (out Sat. 11 Feb. – return Sat 18 Feb). The flying distance between the two airports is only 52 miles! (this works out at just over U.S.$3.76/mile)
    For LIAT to say that they are cancelling this service to improve profitability is total nonsense and a foolish statement to make.
    The fact is that they are far too expensive and anyone in their right mind would rather take a two hour ride on a ferry instead, at a a fraction of that cost and which takes them direct from Roseau to the town centre of Point-a-Pitre.
    I hope Antilles Air will step in and extend their service from Fort-de-France to Point-a-Pitre with a stopover at Melville Hall, with a more sensible pricing structure
    LIAT appears to have spun out of control.

    • So, madam/Sir, are you saying that it cost approximately EC$528.19, to fly for less than half an hour from Dominica to Guadeloupe? That his Highway Robbery, I think it takes about twenty minuets flying from Dominica to Guadeloupe, and thirty minuets to Antigua.

      No wonder: LIAT is something that should be out of business more than fifty years ago! I can fly across the United States, of thousands of miles for less than five hundred dollars. Mind you US$528.19 is approximately, EC$1,426.11, I do not know how people with no jobs survive in a place like Dominica. No one have to wonder why the volume of crimes are so high in the country!

  22. only time will tell
    February 10, 2017

    my pm and his business friends did put in some of our passports moneys into LIAT as one of there next business but it still dent workout we never get more flights we never gotten better service but Dominica people still feel its the best gov let them take that

    • The Truth Be Told
      February 10, 2017

      It is time to cease blaming the government and, for your ignorance and hatred. This was done for the benefit of Dominicans. I am certain the intention was that LIAT would improve its flight and service to Dominica. LIAT has failed Dominicans.

      • February 10, 2017

        so skerrit and his government didn’t fail dominicans for not buliding an international airport that would solve all of these problems he said we didn’t need one do u remember skerrit is most backward thinking prime minister in the history of dominica

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available