Despite plans by regional airline LIAT to return to the skies from November 1, it is still to give notice to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authorities (GCAA) or the Eugene F Correia International Airport (EFCIA).
The Antigua Observer newspaper yesterday reported that LIAT has scheduled its inaugural commercial flight since undergoing restructuring.
The announcement was made by Melford Nicholas, spokesman of the Antiguan and Barbadian government’s Cabinet, following a meeting with administrator of the airline Cleveland Seaforth.
“They have indicated as well that beyond the first flight, that the regular schedule of operations, even though it’s on a reduced schedule, it will commence [additional flights] on the 8th of November,” Nicholas was quoted as saying.
GCAA’s Director General Lt. Col. Egbert Field (ret’d) last night said the local body has not received any correspondence from the airline.
Field explained that before the airline is permitted to operate from the EFCIA, it would be required to submit a schedule of operations. Field estimated that if the airline indicates its willingness to continue operations from Guyana, it will be able to do so by mid- November.
The possibility of LIAT returning to operate the Guyana to Barbados route would see heavy competition as other airlines, including Caribbean Airlines and Trans Guyana Airways, are preparing to offer scheduled flights between the two destinations.
According to the Antigua Observer report, from November 8, the airline will extend its operations to selected destinations and will operate five days per week.
The first flight is schedule to depart from the VC Bird International Airport in Coolidge, Antigua and arrive at the Melville Hall Airport in Marigot, Dominica on November 1.
Meanwhile, Nicholas said the administrator still has to seek legal consent from the court in order to scale back LIAT’s operations to make it more economically viable.
“To the best of my understanding, legally the administrator would have to go back to court to seek the court’s consent to be able to deal with the type of separation and rehiring at different rates – all of these issues where they would have to officiate existing contracts – these are measures that would have to be done at the level of the administrator and the courts,” he explained to the Observer.
Due to its cash-strapped nature, the airline had undergone restructuring and in early October, as part of its restructuring plan, LIAT terminated the employment contracts of 564 employees and retained only 103 employees who were deemed to be vital by the administrator to the continued operation of the airline.
