PRESS RELEASE – ST. JOHN’S ANTIGUA, February 12, 2018 – LIAT, The Caribbean Airline, remains committed to serving the region and its needs. This statement comes from Chief Executive Officer, Julie Reifer-Jones, as she reiterated the airline’s position for 2018.
Jones noted that despite the major challenges from the recent hurricane season, the airline continues to provide a vital service in connecting the region. She stated that there was improvement in the airline’s On-Time Performance in 2017.
“We recognised that there was a major need to work towards improving our On-Time Performance so our passengers could get to their destinations on time,” she said.
The airline recorded On-Time Performance of 68% in 2017, which was a major improvement over the 2016 figure of 49%. She noted that performance in January 2018 was 81%.
“This means that today at LIAT, most flights are on time. LIAT continues to work towards the industry standard of 85% and this is one of our highest priorities,” Reifer-Jones added.
The Chief Executive Officer also noted that the airline industry is very challenging and that from time to time, operational issues — especially aircraft technical issues — will occur and may result in delays and cancellations. She indicated that the complex nature of LIAT’s network presents challenges as aircraft perform several flights daily and any delays can have a knock-on effect in the network. The CEO pointed out that safety is the major priority at LIAT and as such the airline values getting its crew and passengers to their destinations safely.
Refier-Jones acknowledged the need for improvement in LIAT’s customer service and communication with passengers when there are delays. She advised that a Customer Service Programme is ongoing across the network.
“The company will this year be continuously training in all areas of the operations so that passengers can receive a great LIAT experience from our staff,” she stated.
The airline is currently working to return flights to pre-hurricane levels in affected territories across the region.