ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The regional airline, LIAT, said it will test the facilities at the Melville Hall airport in Dominica on Tuesday night, a few weeks after authorities there said that the airport in the north of the island would accommodate night landings for the first time in its history.
LIAT’s Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the flight would be for testing purposes.
“It will not be a commercial flight. The flight will be done in conjunction with the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCA) and the Dominican authorities and I would suggest that you contact them for further details,” Brown said.
In April, Dominica’s Ports Minister, Rayburn Blackmore, said that the night flights would commence in May, but that has not yet materalised.
He said that a team from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority had arrived there to inspect facilities at the airport, following a report by the International Civil Aviation Authority that the facility was ready to accommodate night-time air traffic.
Blackmore also indicated that an Airport Facility and Instrument Procedure expert from the Mexico-based regional office conducted a study within the past month and decided that the upgraded facility fulfils international requirements.
“We are hoping by the end of the May to have the green light for night landing and of course the requisite upgrading; that is moving from a solely visual airport to an instrumental rule airport,” Blackmore said.
@Y2K: Ask your Customs in Dominica, what happens to your packages when they LIAT transport them to Canefield, Antiguans have no time to open your packages in Antigua, thats very low of you all to bash us like that. After all these years of opening our doors to you guys and this is the thanks we get.
I know for a fact that the packages and baggage in Antigua are always under security in a closed customs area. We don’t have time to check you packages.
@Antiguan: You have no idea what you talking about. I have been traveling for 30+ years and after going thru too many claims that cannot be processed yet by LIAT I finally decided is Barbados only I passing thru and I still getting caught because flights still have to pass thru Antigua. I have even had items from UPS passing thru Antigua, carried by LIAT their local agent be tampered with. When the boxes reach here all customs can do is wrap a tape around it saying arrived open and damaged. Luckily I have a smartphone to take pictures before I touch my boxes so TigerDirect, Dell, HP etc can get my claims with pictures and signed by customs.
So when you don’t know something shut your @55. Fed-up with Antiguans in the airport! Night landing to the rescue. My boxes will not have to overnight again. They too damn thief.
@what???: I think that you have contributed to your bags missing, if you don’t have name tags with your name , address and telephone numbers on your bags how you expect liat to find it for you. you all need to be smart travellers.
@BIRDIE: Antiguan never stael anything from you guys, Antiguans mostly think that Dominicans are obeah practitioners, so why would we want to touch your goods? We are not hungry people , Antigua has more than that. Don’t be little us like we need your things, check your point of origin.
@Dominican- London Based: all you need fuh tap full up de bag ah dem soo much fuh mek de seam an dem buss, all you to harden. If de bag and dem buss ana LIAT falt. Wah tink LIAT be, UM CARGO BOAT? CERTAINLY NAT ONE FIG BOAT. LIAT ARE DE CARIBBEAN AIRLINE . NOT DE CARIBBEAN FREIGHTER BOAT.
@Anonymous: If LIAT can fly into St Vincent at nights then , theres no problem with landing in Dominica for an Airline who knows all the corners of the region.
LIAT IS 100 TIMES BETTER THAN AMERICAN. They can do it.
@ryon: what do you know about american eagle and experience,safety is number ,liat will take risk and land at the sea, american will not,everyone would love for american to land from the sea , more so to land at night into dominica, but it wont happen, its not safe.
@TRUE DOMINICAN: you still in the dark ages my friend…keep spining the issues it wil make dominica richer and brighter and more attractive to folks…
i think your brain doesnt have much scoop..
@Patat Again: maybe a skerro singer for his supper which all they do and DA nothing happening arent dominicans still poorer what sector is booming any production around does skero see the country is stock…..think maybe you get your handouts bro….
lol no hard feelings……we all dcans…bro just keep the chatter real and hard!!>..peace…
@vibes:
If only u knew who Patat is!!!!
@vibes: YOU ARE A FOOL WE WILL HAVE NIGHT LANDING /………………..HAVE U EVER TRAVELED OUT OF dOMINICA MY FRIEND
@Pat: aSK EDDO YHE TOLD THE PEOPLE THEM NOT TO ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE THEIR LANDS TO BUILD THE AIRPORT GIVE LABOUR A BREAK
@Patat Again: dont get too worked up mate!! take it easy…let things fall implace it could be one flight in for around 715pm just never know…so dont count your chickens too early they will never do massive full scale in the first instance the notams etc have to be sent out crews breifings on procedures etc and landing routines fully into gear!!
its too early to rejoice that could be a short lived venture!! something that just keeps being a hurdle
Remember aviation industry the element of Safety issues are foremost its not a cargo aircraft only its commerical…so everythings has to be inplace…we over the years just keep jumping and have very little to show in terms of returns…
Dont see night Landing at the present Melville Hall Airport having major impact!! time will tell!!
@Mrs Reid:
Could you upload these pics and vids plz
youtube and DNO
Thats very good because when we over night in antigua those Antiguans at their airport stealing our goods they just did that to my daughter i gave her 12 boxes cube cheeze and 1 shoe seabogo she over nidht in antigua last monday on her way to Trinidad to travel to Cuba and thosew wicked Antiguan thives stole her things it was time we can travel in the night let me see what those ugly little pigs going to steal.now i hate Antigua
Me again.
Say one say two, but Domlec is going and be happy for d extra revenue from a government/commercial source and even from d people that have restaurant there in the airport.
But I suspect Marigot people with Eddo and Athie going and say that those planes going and make too much noise in people head just to bring in 20 and 40 people!!!!! And Parrot cannot sleep in peace
Gacon look plenty people that were there last night from what I was told. Plenty people was dere hoping for d plane to crash and for dem to have a big laugh hahahahahahaha. But d bigger laugh was on them!!!
Some radio personalities were hoping to have a late night on d radio last night all for d wrong reasons – it had who that was in village, who that was on Q and even palrep was on hold to give their impression on d bad landing and why move should have been for International Airport instead of that patchwork makeshift night landing.
But God is a good God all d time to Skerrit and the DLP and everything pass well praise be to God.
Granted we doh reach d platform of d next level yet but we on d steps walking up in most cases and in some though limited cases we running up d steps to reach to d next level and we say again praise be to God the Father of life, health, wealth, strength, and all d gifts of d holy spirit. Amen and Amen.
As d Ency did say : day say progress is slow but I know one day it will come!!! And that be true – that day still have another 12 hours to spend. And we know an hour in d eyes of God is a long time but we cannot go faster than God who is in control of Dominica. Our day in the sun will soon come.
In time to come we will see Ron Green coming home on a night flight like 8:00 p.m. in Dominica airport. And even Lennox will have a duty free shop in d Airport and we say that not a problem all ah we is all Dominicans and yes those Villas will get occupied even Skerrit own dem or not and that is why dem man grudging dem Villas. D man doh steal Treasury money to build Villas and all u want to know d source of d money but Chavez will not give all u his money for Villas nor to build personal house for all u self.
D over half million dollar house on Morne Daniel cannot compare to Skerrit house and u not working nowhere is wife that working to put food in ur mouth.
I surely will be on those night flights coming home from work instead of over nighting in Antigua or Barbados. If there is at least one flight from Antigua and one flight from Barbados per night landing after 6pm and up till 9pm they will be both full. I would even land at 11pm like Antigua if I have to do it. We who have suffered when traveling know the frustration of over nighting.
it was such a beautiful thing to watch last night from my workplace……very beautiful……
@??????: oh yes I was there, i have videos, it was a sight to behold, i really enjoyed looking on, but i doh think i wanna be on a plane at night about to land in Dominica, maybe after they light the mountains kekeke
ADMIN: Contact [email protected] for any videos or photos of the landing. Thanks.
People, think Dominica, not politics..
ALTHOUGH THE THOUGHT OF NIGHT LANDING AT MELLVILLE HALL SEEMS SCARY I BELIEVE THAT AS A PEOPLE WE MUST UPLIFT THE LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE INTENDED TO MAKE LIFE BETTER .BE IT DONE BY THE UWP ,DLP OR DFP. IT IS ONLY WHEN OUR PARTY IS IN POWER WE SEE HOW MUCH POLITIK CRITICISIM STINKS. HAD THIS BEEN DONE BY SAY A DFP GOVERNMENT THE DLP PEOPLE WOULD BE SINGING THE SAME TUNE THAT THE UWPITES ARE NOW SINGING.
I PERSONALLY WOULD HAVE PREFERED THE MONEY SPENT ON AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HOWEVER IF THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR NOW I WILL SOUND A HORN FOR THE NIGHT LANDING CAPABILITY.
… I understand there was a very large crowd
witnessing.
why do we dominicans get so worked up!! we havent gotten the final report in terms of night hrs of operations and all the details.lets wait and see what unfolds.
last evening was clear blue sky with a moon shine and very little winds,what happens when its dark evenings cloud cover winds etc….please dont get too excited.
The approach restrictions and regulations to landing path will be so demanding that the overall success may not even bear fruit.
Surely its a touch and go situation, we seeem to forget the area during the daytime and think its something that fell from heaven automatically,landing at melville with many options is going to be very adventurous..seeing its on the atlantic side with the normal trade winds are going to be a major factor and the ECCA will place alot of guidance alongside safety so in the end we could be looking at a recurring decimal, sorry not bearing the desired fruit we so hastly and uninformed about!
Responsible Public should take note that safety is paramount in the aviation industry and the ECCA Wont compromise Melville Hall at all…
We in Dominica will always continue to fall short because we dont show the ability to research and as the hard questions we fall prey to small ideas with plenty of spin in it…
A well educated and informed Society demands are Greater level of Proffessional input.
As we seem to always do things which never bears any great spill overs..
Lets do a overall impact if and when the final details and procedures are inplace, of the night landing…..remember how we are China Venezula Cuba,but hmm isnt or agriculture at zero and the rest sectors down no productivity…….we need to see decades ahead and not from 6am-10am!
@vibes: In SXM they land from the sea
When I attend one-day regional meetings my collegues from the other Caribbean islands arrive in the morning and leave in the evening while I spend two days and two nights because Dominica did not have night landing facilities. Think of all the accomodation costs we will save. Anous haile hurrah!!!!
@problem solver: listen people….its an article from earlier on they added there….so no, may is not after august!
It is amazing how Dominicans are so ignorant. Instead of looking @ things in a positive manner people are criticising. There is so much negativity because progress is not taking place under UWP. It is sad. This is a step in the right direction. Rome was not built in a day and to those who are so quick to criticize if they were placed in to be Prime Minister they would not know their head from their foot. Dominicans need to come together and start being positive about the smallest direction to progress and stop hating. This is not about Skeritt or anyone it is about Dominica. Stop criticizing and start encouraging. Yes we want an international airport. I need not to stop in Antigua but for now 1/2 a loaf is better than no bread. And for those of you reading. Yes May comes before August but does it occur to you that probably they are talking about next year cause there may be other things that has to be done before night landing can start. Too much ignorance make ppl look like fools.
Although this is no substitute for an Int’l airport, the need is greater NOW for an Int’l airport. However Melvinhall is not as dangerous as it looks from the plane window when you are landing.
The previous person who reminded us Dominica is not on the list of most dangerous airports is correct. I recently saw a documentary on the subject and although St.Marten and St.Batts are on that list, they are still not as dangerous as Honduras, but planes land at night in those airports. In Dominica’s case it only means landing after sun goes down but not necessarily in total darkness that occurs after 7:00PM.
The land formations in the airport area are of most concern or significance but they will be visible after the sun goes down and before total darkness. We should be most concerned here with flights from Antigua/St.Lucia/Barbados between 4:30 and 6:00PM. Those flights will arrive in Dominica before 7:30PM anyway. After-all who will keep an airport with as little activity in the day time, as it is, opened at 9:00PM, let alone waiting for someone arriving in Melvinhall at 8:30PM, considering the road from airport to anywhere in D/a, in day time, much less night time, with no hotels in the area.
I think you will agree with me that you might as well sleep in Antigua or Barbados if your flight leaves there after 6:30PM. So in most cases it’s the lack of flights from those airports to D/a after4:30 – 5:00PM that causes us to overnight. So it’s a majjor deal if you can get flights from those connecting points to D/a at 5:30PM, and not necessarily flights at 8:30 PM. It’s a big deal. However, that makes a good case for having our own Int’l airport.
Dangerous?
As I said earlier, the land formations in the airport area are of most concern or significance. From the left windows of the aircraft coming from north you can clearly see the runway upon approach which gives you a sense of what’s happening as the plane decends. So all the pilots have to do is lower the plane till they pass the small hill or mount, which is over one mile from the top of the runway, bend left then slightly right while lowering and voi-la, they land. It only looks dangerous because you can’t see what the pilot is seeing.
The hill or mount at the top of the runway in St’Batts is much closer to that runway, they don’t even have time for anything else but to drop the plane, and they do it at night too. But in Melvinhall after passing the hill they have lots of acreage to line up, drop altitude and land safely. So that hill or mount needs to be lighted up sufficiently by all means.
Ever little bit of improvement we get in Dominica is all good. This airport will do much to compliment the International airport whenever it’s built.
This is a great piece of news, because I am still waiting for my bags that got lost two years ago in Antigua during an overnight stay. However, I hope that the landing systems in place was not only approved by Hugo Chavez and his cronies (just kidding). I hope that internationally approved ALS, ILS and DME were installed. I hope it is our ministers standing on the airstrip with multi-coloured flashlights trying to signal landings. Anyway, with all jokes aside (i know it is not funny), I think this will enhance DA’s forward movement.
I look forward to coming to Dominica the same day after a long trip. Of course there will be some nerves on the first try in life. Why not? I get nevous landing at JFK everytime. In recent times I have had better/smoother landings at Melville Hall than some of the bigger airports around us. I have landed in St. Vincent at nights and the experience is simply nerve racking. But St. Vincent has had night landings for years without incident. Happily they are building a bigger one. Some day we too will build a bigger airport, but we have to upgrade what we have in the meantime. It is our hope that this effort will produce good fruit – such more timely arrival of passengers to the Dominica and more tourist arrivals. Complaining and complaining and wishing it was my party that was in power to have delivered the project is not enough to guarnatee the safety of the facility.
None of our politicians, real or imagined, media based or kitchen based are sufficiently trainied in aeronautics and civil aviation matters to approve or diaspprove a certificate for Melville Hall.It is all sheer speculation hoping that soemthing will happen only so that Mr. skerrit will come out bad. For those hoping for such an eventuality, here’s hoping that a distant relative won’t be on board. Even a ten million dollar compensation package for each deceased passenger cannot bring them back. Good luck Dominica. Let us go for the big one here after
@ahahaaha: lovely comment wish i could give u a hug
Please stop the negative comments… Let us be positive..
dominica look like it doing things in backwards like french aug come before may backwards or forward once they start to fly nite i will go just count me in cause when i done work i would like to go home and finish my sleep there lol
Weh weh weh hear jah domnic runnin their mouth about if hospital big and have accomodations.allu country is being recognised an allu there wishin for the worst?any way awa eh pal with my country pple.u kno y we finally movin forward???the PM has segregated himself from all the negativity and he is on d nxt level…stay in the bottom and backward stil…shate man!!!
i am quite happy about that move ,especially for my sisters when they are coming home.antiguans wont be getting her clothes anymore that they steal all the time.however, i have great concerns about the hospital that still operates like a health centre.i do hope that it will be priority to upgrade it and to put more doctors as well .sooooooooon
@ vibes……great vibes….welll said…..dominicans…..just easily fooled and ridiculed ……politicians taking us for a ride and wee dont see it cause night landing lasssiieeee full our eyes……empty promise…….lets hope they build the ineternational airpot soonn alll they need is couple miles of visibility…to approach the runnn wayyy and a long enufff runn wayyyyy ………study your headdd
@DOMINICAN IN TEXAS: yeah at lease someone has sense…. these people in dominica has no idea what we going through thats why they’re talking crap like that! overnighting (more Money) and all that crap!
Dominica is moving at a snails paste but its better than not moving at all….am so happy i went to sleep wid a smile
news flash valda having aa land during the night is in the pipelines.you’re probly not aware of it but a us company has already been here to set up an approach for aa and installing of a gps guiding system fo aa to start landing from the sea.sorry to burst your bubbles.
Although night flights relieve some of the problems we have overstaying on other islands in the Caribbean it still does not resolve the problems we have as regards baggage being left or ‘missing’ en route to Dominica.
I think the pilots who serve Liat are first class. My issue is with the booking side of the company. You arrange your flights in advance to attend various functions in your island only to find out your flight times are changed with no regard to the customer. So, if your lucky enough you might not overnight in Antigua, however on your return from Dominica to Antigua you may find you will have to wait up to 12 hours for your connecting flight to the UK.
A step in the right direction all the same !
well dont travel my friend
Boy that is good news!!! And d better news is that d flight test was a great success.
All now so I in Lucia and I wish I was coming in d night.
D good news about this test flight is that d weather was cloudly and we in d hurricane season!!!!!
Take dat haterszzzzzzzzz!!!!!
Now is time for Eddo, John, Ron, and all d rest like MAtt, Lennox and Athie to join Skerrit and all DLP elected to go on a flight together. There is no need to put Lynhurst on notice to order extra coffin or body bags
When it good say it good…. man
Dominican in Texas,I am in agrement with your viewsand comments. I am a regular and avid reader of coments from DNO News topics and majority of the times it is all negativeness. I have travelled several times to my homeland via Antigua and I personally has have a few spate with the Antiguan Customer Services. I found them to be very rude and has no form of diligence in their service to us (Dominicans)
My suitcase has gone missing on a few ocassions. When it i arrived in Dominica ,it was cut open and my children clothes were hanging out. I get so frustrated with the Antiguan Customer Services at the airport
that I told them “God bless the day that I have to travel direct and donot have to overnight in Antigua.” Believe you me it can be very frustrating especially when one has such long flights and is accompanied with their senior parents and young children.
I await the night landing and by the grace of God all wil be well. Lets be positive.
Wow, that is wonderful news.
Dominicans please put politics aside and give jack his jacket. Night landing is a dream come true for us and whether you take advantage of it or not, you cannot criticize its importance because its not your party that brought the idea to fruition. Elections are over, when will we get out of the campaign mode and unite? Let us appreciate this effort and work towards the international airport we still need.
Too much hatred and jealousy among my people because of politics while the politicians are shaking hands behind closed doors. Again, good job and I look forward to the days when overnight stays in Antigua becomes a thing of the past.
@DR. LOVE:
ur a donkey and a big one 4 saying that crap
This is one of the best news I’ve heard in a long time abt d/ca, Im so tired of overnight in PR. God knows i wont overnight in Antigua. I’m still waiting on my luggage( just in case someone see it). Slow progress is better than no progress Dominicans.
I AM NOT POLITICALLY ALIGNED AND PLEASE EXCUSE MY COWARDNESS BUT I WOULD PREFER OVERNIGHT THAN TO LAND IN D/CA AT NIGHT. THE IDEA JUST SOUNDS CRAZY. I MAY BE PISSIMISTIC BUT I DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE CAUTIOUS. THE SUCCESS OF THIS ENDEAVOR DEPENDS ON PASSENGER PATRONAGE SO TO THOSE WHO ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC AND DARING THAN I AM I’D SAY GO FOR IT.
@cookie: It will be a pleasure to see Ron Greene and his team on there too, because they just like doubting thomasses.
@Anonymous: American dosen’t have to experience like LIAT. LIAT is top notch for night landings at Melville Hall Airport.
@wicked: what you mean by that?
or try overnighting in Antigua to have half of your items stolen at the airport?? tell me how does that feel????
Dominicans are just naturally NEGATIVE People by all means, thought it’s not some kind of technological break through and even if its 60+ years after the first night landing…. at least its something they promised and it actually came through..
Half on you on here claiming to not come to Dominica on a night flight actually stuck in someone Else’s country, cannot travel (too BROKE OR TOO ASHAMED TO RETURN)…so shut the hell up!!. let those of us who want to come to their country and can actually afford to travel appreciate it..
Bunch of negative fools!!!
I trust Liat to fly me day or night. to Dominica, Dominicans stop living in the past Dominica is moving to the next level, give credit where credit is due. i doh give a rat ass about party, the Airport is open for all of us. When i come to Dominica am not going to labour Dominica or UWP Dominica am going to Dominica. Who ever develope Dominica its all of us thats going to enjoy it , Some of us never seen runway or night landing, or never go on a plan Dominican spend to much time distroying ther own. When election come around in the next four years, We go deal with politics. for now let build Dominica.
Dominican overseas.
Landing in Dominica at night should not be a political issue. It is for the good of all Dominicans and tourists.(those who want to land at Melville Hall at nights).
I think Blackmore meant May 2011 not 2010. Why should there be any celebrations when the entire DLP ministers and their cronies have not tested the night landing. They should be the first to land at night then all the DLP supporters can celebrate.
I,for one, am scared to land there during the day; I will never land there at night.
It would be nice to have the option to fly into Dominica at night instead of having to spend the night in another island because the flights were late. I hope that the airport is passed for night landing, and that we could now move to other things.
@cookie: LOL
Great. The money I would spend overnighting in Barbados or Antigua I will use in Dominica on my next trip couple of months from now. Good move.
Why are our people being so negative? There are worse airports than Melville Hall or even Canefield. Has anyone been to Saba or St. Barths? The airport in St. Maarten has been named in the top five scariest in the world. Airports in Dominica did not even make the top 10. Yet we have Dominicans lambasting our airports and by extension the whole country. I just have to shake my head.
@VALDA BRUNO-DURAND: sorry Val FAA doesnt permit AA to land from the sea during daylight operations!! so thats a “NO” to even think of AA during night operations be aware of that!!
same old story again…nothing we should shout and hit our chest about.you going have the same issues the airport is closed when heavy rains and poor visi during daylight operations,makes it worst during the evenings.and surely LIAT will always have a baggage policy and weight restrictions on that night landing into Melville Hall,so then same old story of bags being left back,flights canx due weather etc…They hopefully will look good on a night operation if there is little cloud cover and winds etc…but normaly that Melville Hall area isnt suited for high levels of traffic and wont bring the impact to where we think.
The Government will soon have to start clearing land for the International Airport as the Night option into Melville wont bring that nessecary desire.
Folks need to bear that in mind…again its what you have in Dominica small 2 cents ideas where we make a big noise….
Look at St.Vincent they bit the bullet and moved ahead with the International Airport..
So we shouldnt settle for less and think that all we can do…
Its still what you call a lack of vision as the monies spent in Melville Hall we would be on a much Brighter track doing International rather than trying to fix a dark drain with some 20Watts Bulbs.
With some much restrictions and regulations on landing there in the night at the end..its not going to worth the spending of time and effort… Definetly not something we can consider visionery or a Class piece of forward thinking…Thumps down!
WELL A GIRL HAVE TO BE HOPEFULL YOU KNOW DOH WORRY MAN AMERICAN WILL COME ON BOARD ONCE THERE IS NO RAIN AND THEY CAN SEE CLEARLY AHEAD
God bless D/ca in this much needed achievement, May all the landings and Departures are “VERY”successful
Well, Dominica Prime Minister needs to upgrade Marigot Hospital in case of an emergency. The quailty of the hosptial is shameful. God for bid a plane crashes how are they going to take care of patients when the hospital is lacking of the basic medical needs such as, bandages, and gloves.
boy i want the pilots and the pm to test it after every thing go ok i will try it one day
I am looking…….
Congratuation to my beautiful country Dominica. u going places. nuff respect to PM skerrit and his team
we need aproper a bigger hospital in case of an emergancy
Cant Understand Y Dem People want to play with nature…demmmm deeadddd mi seyyy!!!
Congratulations Dominica… Hope all goes well..
For me it would be great not to have to harras trying to make a two o’clock flight to get out of the island and overnight in Antigua trying to get in. I look forward to the night landing it will be great for business. just put flash lights on those mountains that’s all i ask. lol
Night landing is great! I just hope that Skerrit, Savarin, Blackmoore and Bardouille will be part on the flight for the Test. Thank God for Skerrit.
Best wishes.
Dominica is finally turning a new leaf but there goes these negative ignorant fools making such idiotic remarks. Be proud that your island is stepping up!
I am most ecstatic about this new initiative!
God bless Dominica.
Can the Marigot hospital accomodate emergencies in the unlikely event that they arise?
The approach by sea is way better than the approach in St. Lucia and St. Vincent at night from my personal experience so this should be a piece of cake for LIAT. American have a flight landing in St. Lucia at 10pm so why can’t we? We always there to criticize. First it was the stadium but all those that criticize always there for Creole Fest., Cricket, etc. Why can’t we see good for good and give jack his jacket?
Well overdue, but well done by all who played their part including our silent heroes in places like CARICOM for the EU support.
@Pat: cry cry babies
you guys keep on trash talking you all own country! talking about dangerous! you all NEED to travel!!! to see places and airports before you talk!
DO you know that ST.MAARTEN/SXM ranks world’s 4th dangerous airport? and theres Saba…….there are 3 caribbean airports in the world’s ten most dangerous airports and DOMINICA is NOT on that list!
People its not a broom they’re flying, its a computerized piece of equipment, the are not looking for the airport at nite to land, the use (ILS) the computer does everything!!!!
SO STOP TALKING SHIT ABOUT YOU ALL OWN COUNTRY AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT LIL STEP INTO THE FUTURE! ROME WASNT BUILT IN A DAY!
@VALDA BRUNO-DURAND: who cares. so unpatriotic
Ignorance comes from lack of education,and dominicans on a whole are too damn ignorant..Skerritt is the prime minister not a damn pilot, thats why he’s not the one doing the test flight, thats what the civil aviation authority is there for, you people should stop being bias and be proud that dominica is moving in the right direction, and stop involving politics in every damn thing….
@sandor: you are so right,,,AA fly there everyday,,,,not every night. i hope our fire fighters are well equipped for this test.
we were all crying for international airport but we afraid of night landing.i just hope that at least night landing will soon come so all that money spent to upgrade the airport will not be spent in vain
FOR ALL THOSE WHO MADE NEGATIVE COMMENTS, KEEP BEING NEGATIVE!!!! FOR THE POSITIVE ONES WHO WANT TO SEE THIS COUNTRY MOVE FORWARD; KEEP HOPE ALIVE!! I LOVE MY COUNTRY!
GOD BLESS DOMINICA AND DOMINICANS!!!
This is great for Dominica so I don’t have to spend the Night in Puerto Rico.
I see all the Nagative comment being made, but how will you move forward like other Countries if you don’t expand. I notice Dominicans Have a lot of nagativity about each and everything that is being said. The people who travel alot know how inconvience it to have to spend over night in a hotel, but for the people who do not travel I understand why they would be nagative.
Lets hope de runway doh have pothole like the roads cause at night u can’t see them either
The AA Eagle never lands form the sea. Just remember that!
Dominica needs an international airport. To me the money spent on upgrading this airport is good but this is not a subsitution for the international airport. It just cannot be. There are many more places to build that international airport in Dominica. Menville hall airport is to adventureous landing.
When you are landing you got the feeling of being intoxcicated and at the same time praying that you land safely. I tell you that’s torture.
@VALDA BRUNO-DURAND: hell no american will not ,i kno for a fact lol,
put skerritte and his team on d flight tonight and have someone video tape the cabin when they coming in to land.
ohhhhhhhhhh! I wasnt aware the calenda was in reverse May after August?
You all should be very happy for DOMINICA! it’s a shame to see what you all are wirteing, grow up people
whats the big deal with them being scured about landing in Dominica at nights.. there are far more worst airports in the world that have planes landing with cross winds down a hill!!! and AA fly there everyday too.. so it is about time i say!!!
i dont care how many night landing test they pass ,i will not land in dominica in the night.when i fly into dominica on a bright sunny day ,i am so afraid far less for a night landing.
Liat is well known for their safety record in the Caribbean. I trust that they will tell the government of DA to forget that nonsense of night landing at Melville Hall and build an international airport.
Night landing at Melville Hall should ONLY be in cases of emergency.
That labour government is too vindictive….UWP government had all the plans set for an international airport and just because labour government were not the ones who initiated it, they deprived us ….they made Dominica suffer for that…
After so many years they are still pussy footing with the idea…WICKED SET OF PEOPLE…
Oh wow! so that means the next time I am coming home i wont have to over night in Barbados. THanks
The Prime Minister and his cabinet should be the first passengers on the night landing test run!
What a great flight that will be!
I have every confidence in Liat. The pilots are well trained and experienced, and I am sure they can make that landing very smoothly…..however just incase de pilots have any doubts or queries about night landing in my beautiful island, they can just dial 1-800-SOUCOUYAN to speak to an expert. LOL
WELL CONGRATULATIONS TO MY ISLAND AND ALL WHO WILL BE LANDING AT NIGHT I WILL SLEEP IN ANTIGUA STILL FOR NOW, BUT I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE COME THIS FAR AND I KNOW WE CAN MAKE IT FURTHER. gOD BLESS MY ISLAND AND SAFE LANDING LIAT. I DO HOPE THAT AMERICAN WILL TEST NEXT
This is good new for Dominca, may god bless Dominica!
Put Dominica First Lets save our Farmers by boycotting all Imported foods that can be grown Locally. Boycott begins 8/17/2010 …
Thats if you Love Dominica.
Seems like may after august….
so they not giving frequent flyers a free vep, since they just testing it?
Night landing is coming and I can’t wait! I have no problem waiting for a few more weeks just make sure everything is in order. Congrats to the DLP gov for making this a reality. All those who think that Mr. Skeritt wasted the country’s money, I suggest that you overnight in Anitgua or where ever the next time you flight into DA. I can’t wait to hear what the UWP have to say when night landing becomes normal for us in DA and we no longer have to overnight.
I hope someone records the test flight tonight and put it on youtube for all to see.
it would be a pleasure 2 c all the cabinet ministers board the flight for the nite landing test