LIAT Weighs to Slash Airfares to Caribbean Destinations

Acting Chief Executive Officer of LIAT, Brian Challenger said the airline is aware of the concerns of Caribbean nationals regarding the high airfares charged by the airline and promises that efforts are ongoing to look at ways in which this can be addressed.

Speaking at a press conference in Curacao last week, Challenger explained that while the airline is desirous of addressing this issue there are a number of other factors that are hindering immediate reduction of the fares.

Challenger noted that the issue of high rentals for LIAT’s carriers and the high taxes charged by Caribbean governments are partly responsible for the high airfares.

Additionally, he noted that the price initially went up in 2006 when an agreement was reached between LIAT and Caribbean Star, which had very low airfares, to raise their fares together by about 25 percent.

He noted that cost can be compared to what it was four years ago and to the North American type operations which are the same. There is no way based on basic economics that LIAT can provide the type of service like that of the United States and North American carriers.

Meanwhile, on the issue of a recent move by the Guyana government to meet with airlines plying the Georgetown route to discuss airfares, Challenger reported that while he has heard of the move, which he welcomes, his carrier has not been approached by the government of Guyana and remains open for any such discussion.

LIAT has been recently plagued by a number of late arrivals and delayed flights and, according to the CEO, there are some instances where this has happened but dismissed allegations that it is a regular occurrence, noting that the airline like any other may have flight problems, particularly at this time when there are some teething problems with pilots, who have been going on strike over contractual matters.

Challenger noted that another problem the airline has been facing at destinations where larger carriers are not plying, is excess baggage, which sometimes results in persons receiving their baggage late.

He explained that owing to the fact that from these destinations larger carriers are not operating, LIAT and other regional airlines are left to transport the large baggage of passengers flying outside the Caribbean and these airlines do not have the cargo capacity to accommodate excess baggage.