By Andrew Dick
MULLET BAY--Close to a dozen passengers were fed up with regional airline LIAT after they arrived in St. Maarten on Saturday, January 2, destined for St. Croix. What should have been a few hours delay ended up being six nights of frustration, fear and resentment.
Workers striking, mechanical failures and no communication from the main office were just some of the excuses given to these passengers, who have had enough of the excuses and want to go to their desired destination.
Elton Lewis and Walter van Loenen spoke on behalf of the passengers and called for the resignation of top management officials in Antigua, who clearly have no idea how to operate an airline company, according to Lewis.
Having travelled with his wife to St. Croix since 1988, Walter van Loenen gave his take on his experience: “Our itinerary was a flight from St. Maarten to St Croix, LI312 on Saturday January 2, 2016. On that day we heard at the check-in counter that the flight was cancelled. No information was given about why and how to reach our final destination. After a long wait at the airport check-in, we were transferred to The Towers hotel in Mullet Bay. Days went by and still no information at all from LIAT.”
On Monday, January 4, passengers received a call from LIAT’s front desk reception saying, “No flight today.” Several other passengers who were stranded on Monday informed them that a strike was ongoing with LIAT and they also were stuck in St. Maarten.
The front desk called again on Monday afternoon and told the passenger to be at the airport around 5:00pm because LIAT had booked them on a flight to Tortola. Relieved and anxious to leave, the group was brought to the airport. After waiting for three hours they were told that only clients destined for Tortola could board the flight. Again, the passengers were left out in the cold and sent back to The Towers to await a call about their departure.
The back and forth between the hotel and Princess Juliana International Airport SXM was repeated on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday seemed to be “the” day for passengers to leave the island and forget their dreadful experience. At 10:30am they were requested to go to the airport, seven passengers with destination St. Croix. Priority check-in was promised. Six hours later, a smiling airport handling agents called all St. Croix passengers and they obliged eagerly until the smiling face turned into, “I am very sorry, there is only place for three, and let me know who is going.”
One of the passengers quickly talked it over with the group and three boarded the plane and left. The remaining four had no choice but to go back to The Towers. Calling the numbers 546-1621 or 546-7622 was of no help, said Lewis. Most of the time, the employees had no idea what to tell the passengers.
“My issue is, ‘fine you have operational issues, but speak out. Communicate with passengers.’ The management is not doing us a favour; we are paying customers. Most of the employees in St. Maarten for LIAT do not even know what is going on. I have to thank Supervisor Beryl, she did an outstanding job tending to us,” said Lewis, a former St. Croix government official.
“Our days consist of this: continental breakfast in the morning, hamburger and fries in the afternoon, and at night US $20 cap at Three Amigos restaurant. We want to go home. We love St. Maarten, but it has been a week.”
One of the passengers who was stranded for six days missed her family member’s funeral that she had to attend; her visa almost expired. They have no regard for their passengers, she commented.
The passengers collectively feel that they should warn potential travellers not to use the airline because of their bad experience. The Daily Herald contacted one of the airline’s representatives on St. Maarten, and she said that the passengers will be leaving today, Friday, at 9:00am. She did confirm that it is sometimes difficult to get clear communication with their head office situated in Antigua.
