SEVERAL flights around the Caribbean were affected for the most part of yesterday, as pilots connected to regional airline LIAT stayed off the job.

A statement, issued by the carrier, said it advised its passengers that due to action taken by the pilots’ trade union, LIALPA, those who were scheduled to fly yesterday failed to show up for duty.
LIAT said it was not provided with the required notification of the industrial action, as required under the agreement between the airline and its pilots. As such, the strike resulted in morning flight disruptions and it was expected to flow into the later part of the day.
Among the destinations hit due to the unannounced strike action by the pilots were Antigua, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Santo Domingo, St. Croix, Guyana, Tortola, Nevis and San Juan.
However, because of the resulting inconvenience to customers, the company has given them the option of rebooking their flights within one week of their original scheduled date of travel without any charge.
After that one-week grace period, passengers will then be required to pay the applicable fares and change fees when rebooking.

FULL CREDIT
Meanwhile, those persons who are unable to travel as planned due to the work stoppage will be issued with a full credit for future trips at their request, according to the airline. But there are some terms and conditions which will apply to that arrangement.
Those arrangements will be in place when the services are resumed and the passengers, who were affected are asked to contact LIAT Reservations to rebook before heading to the respective airports.
Expressing its apologies to the regional passengers, LIAT also advised passengers who decide to travel but are unable to complete their journey due to the disruption yesterday will not be provided with meals, transportation, hotel accommodation etc and those with onward connections must contact their respective carriers.
Yesterday, the Guyana Chronicle e-mailed the communications officer of LIAT, to ascertain how many persons were inconvenienced by the strike and the destinations to which they were to travel.
In a release, subsequent, to the first, only mentioned the destination to which flights were scheduled to go but did not disclose how many people were affected or stranded as a result of the strike action.
The airline promised to update its travelling public of the development with respect to the strike as it becomes available. It also urged passengers to contact the airline’s business office in Antigua on telephone numbers 1-268-480-5582; toll free from the rest of the Caribbean on 1-888-844-5428 and from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on 1-866-549-5428.

(By Leroy Smith )