LIAT Further Extends Suspension of Passenger Services to June 30

LIAT has once again suspended its commercial passenger services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing that the extension will be in place until June 30.

The airline has further revealed, in a release dated May 29, that those passengers who made bookings during this extended period will automatically have their bookings cancelled, but receive “full airline credit for future travel.”

These passengers will be allowed to rebook when LIAT announces that it is resuming its services, they stated.

Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Julie Reifer-Jones noted that the airline is closely monitoring the situation across the region and “will resume flights when it is safe for passengers.”

Although there are territories that have announced a date for the reopening of their borders, “there are still many protocols to be implemented, such as testing and mandatory quarantine periods, which will allow for the safe movement of passengers,” the release explained.

LIAT is continuing to plan for the resumption of operations, Reifer-Jones assured, but they are uncertain when most territories will reopen their borders.

In the meantime, they have “maintained strict protocols” as it relates to aircraft cleaning and sanitization, they note.

LIAT has assured that it is “committed to keeping the region connected especially after this crisis.”

The flights and services of the airline have been suspended since April 4.

This is in the midst of comments from Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, who informed “LIAT was already in a very precarious situation and COVID would have worsened the situation. So right now LIAT, just like any other airline globally, will be in need of a bailout.”

The airline has admitted throughout that this is an “extremely difficult” time for its staff, passengers and the region.

The COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed approximately 363,000 lives to date. It first showed its face in St Vincent and the Grenadines(SVG) on March 11 and as of May 29, according to the health authorities, SVG now has 26 recorded cases, with 12 of these being active.