Dear Editor,
There is one thing the newspapers do and that is to allow Tom and Dick and Harrylall to state their complaints. I refer to a headline in one paper “We want to go home, Liat”. The people complaining remind me of the City Council who always have a plaster for every sore.
LIAT is the only airline serving the several islands in the Caribbean. There is no other airline which would take on this thankless job. There is no money in it. I just travelled on LIAT and was treated well and courteously by all the workers. On this occasion they were on time.
People must realize that delays can be due to many things – a malfunctioning meter, a punctured tyre etc. No pilot will jeopardise himself, his crew and the passengers and risk flying the plane if there is a defect. Even a NASA flight is delayed at the last moment if there is a suspected fault. But not in the Caribbean – no way – now, did these Soca Warriors wait until their day of departure to book their flight? Did they have a confirmed return flight? They claim to be businessmen, well, they have to move around with their bands – yes – then why don’t they charter an aircraft to take them wherever they want to go and not have any trouble. No big airline will do this kind of minibus operation – each landing on each island costs money, an office, landing fees etc. The big airlines pay one landing fee, have an office for the destination and the Head Office. These alleged businessmen need to do their planning properly – looking forward – no haphazard arrangements.
I hope they plan better in 2008.
Yours faithfully,
Victor Fitt