March 7, 2017
JUMP SEAT ISSUE 163
Featured in this Issue OPENING OF ARGYLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CEO MEETS WITH AUTHORITIES IN TERRITORIES
DEAR LIAT
RESPONSE TO LETTER FROM CEO
ANNIVERSARIES
ARGYLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OPENS
St. Vincent & the Grenadines opened its new International Airport on Tuesday 14th February to much fanfare. LIAT transitioned from E.T. Joshua to Argyle on Monday 13th after operating the final commercial flight LI 770 to Barbados. The overnight aircraft then was ferried as LI 900 from E.T. Joshua to Argyle International Airport with Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, officials from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) , The International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) and senior management onboard. Dr. Gonsalves described the land as “smooth” and thanked the crew. On Tuesday 14th February, Vincentians were out in their numbers for the first departure from the new airport. LI 560 departed with 28 passengers who. received LIAT gift packs on check in and a surprise visit by Dr. Gonsalves before their departure. As the aircraft lifted, cheers could be heard around the airport.
CEO Meets with Authorities in Guyana and Grenada
In February 2017, Acting Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Julie Reifer-Jones and other members of the Management Team met with the authorities in Guyana and Grenada. The disccusion included issues affecting the airlines and the travelling public. The company in the coming months will meet with
Representing LIAT: CEO (Ag), Mrs. Julie Reifer-Jones (center on right), Director Flight Operations, Captain Arthur Senhouse and Revenue Manager, Mr. Gavin Bovell. Representing the GCAA: Director General, Lt. Col. (Rtd) Egbert Field (second from the left), Director (ag), ATM, Mr. Saheed Sulaman, General Counsel, Ms. Amanza Desir, Aviation Policy and Economic Regulation Consultant, Mr. Hugh Denbow Photo Credit Guyana Government Information Agency Please E-mail you Jump Seat content or suggestion to the Editor - Shavar Maloney at this address MaloneyS@liat.com
HOW’S BUSINESS
ON-TIME PERFORMANCE JAN 2017 JAN 2016 FEB 2017 FEB 2016 INDUSTRY STANDARD 85%
ON TIME PERFORMANCE
RELIABILTY
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GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE
MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARGYLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The first traffic and ramp shift at AIA
The crew to operate the first flight from AIA. Capt. LI 560, the first departure from the Mathurin, F/A Roberts, F/A Durand and F/O Henry. newly open Argyle International Airport
CHANGES IN THE NETWORK
With the completion of the route analysis LIAT announced last month that it will restructure its operations by suspending service to the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Guadeloupe to Dominica routes. Effective March 1, 2017, the airline stopped flying to St. Croix, and service to St. Thomas will end on June 14. The airline suspended its Guadeloupe to Dominica route on March 2nd and will instead operate a return Antigua to Guadeloupe flight. These moves are intended to help stabilise the airline’s flight schedule and network.We want to thank LI 312 taxies in ANU for departure our staff in these territories for their hard work and dedication to the company.
ANOTHER LIAT FIRST
LIAT became the first customer at the new ATR Miami Training Facility. Four new pilots accompanied by Capts. Chris Cameron and Vere Barnes did their training in February. Capt Chris Cameron (centre, blue shirt) receives model ATR as the first customer at the Miami ATR Training Center.
DEAR LIAT Hello,
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In this issue we share some of the compliment and complaint letters we receive. To all who go above and beyond to represent LIAT we say thank you and let us work to help improve in areas where we can!
My name is Aziza Garraway. I traveled on LIAT 771 BGI-SVD leg on Sunday 25th December 2016. I'd recently had major surgery, and had requested a wheelchair assist to the stairs of the aircraft. the BGI ground crew was really great, and I must thank them for their assistance. The SVD ground crew was also really great!! I don't know the name of the young man who assisted me, but he was very pleasant, and assisted me with my luggage etc. I am not sure if he necessarily had to, but there were no porters to be had, so he did. Absolutely great!! Thanks again the staff for their assistance!! Aziza
Dear customer relations, Today Friday 9 th of December , I flew from Antigua to St Maarten. Thank your Captain Greg and the lovely , very friendly stewardess . They are very precise on safety and security. That's makes you feel safe . And also being so very friendly , just making that extra step to make a passenger happy. Compliments for cockpit and crew today from flight 312. Best regards , Eleenka Colthoff
Dear Sir/Madam, I travelled on Liat from Barbados to Saint Vincent on Dec 10, 2016 on flight 755 which was supposed to depart at 14:35. My experience with that flight was not a good one. First of all the flight was delayed and communications while we waited was very poor. In addition, while boarding the flight I observed your baggage handlers trying to fit all the luggage on the flight including my own, and they were struggling to get everything on. When I arrived in Saint Vincent my luggage had not made it. I reported it as I was on vacation and needed my clothing. I was assured at the airport in Saint Vincent that the luggage would be on the next flight. Well it was not and it did not arrive in Saint Vincent until the end of Dec 11. I received my luggage at my resort after midnight, meaning it was lost for over 36 hours. How is that possible with so many flights between Barbados and Saint Vincent? I was forced to buy an additional shirt as well as some toiletries, additional expenses not required had you done your job properly. The return flight on Dec 23, flight 306, was supposed to depart at 10:25 am and we were to make connections for our return flight to Canada with flight leaving at 16:25 pm. However, your flight never left until after 11:30 am, and no explanation given as to why or communication as to when it would leave. Because of the original departure time, we had to leave the resort one night early and stay a night in Saint Vincent. I found this delay an annoyance as we could have spent another night on vacation and not have to pack and unpack. While I understand that flights in the Caribbean can sometimes be delayed and I expected that, I found the lack of communication and people not available to ask questions not very professional. Furthermore, having a person’s luggage delayed for almost two days while they are on vacation, is very irritating and I never received even an apology. Given this experience, I find it hard to recommend your airline to anyone to use, and if they have options, I will strongly recommend they use other airlines. How can we prevent passengers from having this experience? Send us your feedback at improvement@liat.com
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ANNIVERSARIES
Congratulations to all employees who are celebrating their anniversaries for the months of January and February. Thank you for your hard work and commitment. JANUARY 2017 30 YEARS Collie Christopher Antigua PPC Supervisor Mary Browne Antigua Crew Planning Officer Andrea James
Antigua
Sheree Elder Vanessa Kelsick
Antigua Antigua
25 YEARS Financial Controller
20 YEARS Cabin Crew Captain
Hemstead Phillip Antigua
FEBRUARY 2017 35 YEARS Flight Operations Supervisor
Mark Retemyer
Antigua
Engineer
Justin Wills Philip Mathurin
Antigua Antigua
Captain Captain
30 YEARS
15 YEARS
10 YEARS Ashford Hamilton Grenada Baggage Attendant Joseph Harry Grenada Customer Service Agent Oskey Celestine Grenada Cargo Clerk Deslorne Hillocks St. Vincent Customer Service Agent Damian Peters Antigua Purchasing Officer
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HA AN PN PI YV E R S A R Y
Responses to Letter From the CEO
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Every month our CEO sends out a letter to the staff. Your responses are appreciated and we like to share some for the general staff to know.
I really hope and wish that this message gets across. We have too many persons with issues and gripe with LIAT, that they fail to see the big picture or they just don’t care. We are in the services industry and the business we do is transportation. If the aircrafts don’t fly and they don’t carry people we don’t make any money plain and simple. Aircrafts on the ground do not help any of us,but people for some unknown reason believe that regardless if the airplanes fly or not that we can still get paid. They don’t care less if they come to work and see 4 airplanes on the ground, they don’t stop to think, that if so many airplanes are on the ground it means that persons are sitting in an airport somewhere that we might be feeding or putting up. Do a survey and you would see what I am saying is the truth, I have done it before. I come into work I see 4 aircrafts on the ground and say to one or two of my co-workers “boy airplanes park up” and guess what the response is -“a true me nah even notice”. The airplanes are right there as you walk in the gate for everyone to see… but they are least concerned.
Have YOU submitted your suggestions to improvement@liat.com?
Here are some of the submissions:
• Get a bigger impact on Social Media, we need to appeal to young travellers, who actually take weekend trips to other islands to party and see friends. • Educate customers and potential customers on fares and taxes, persons actually think LIAT takes all the money from the tickets, when they actually see how much we have to pay out they will understand. • Restart the Loyalty programme – Give them points that they can use towards a new ticket
Good Day and thanks for the opportunity, Here is my contribution to what can help us improve overall (OTP, Customer Service and Reliability on flights):
1. Regular communication of goals and their achievement to all staff members. 2. Regular and consistent training and re-training of staff to achieve goals and aspirations of the company. 3. Reward programs for both customers and staff to show appreciation for outstanding service and support.
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