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A LIAT aircraft
LIAT is apologising to customers travelling to and from St. Vincent and Dominica whose flight schedules have been affected.
The company said the inconvenience is due to an increase in cancelled flights and delayed baggage, due to high seasonal winds in Dominica and St. Vincent.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Julie Reifer-Jones said the company’s aircraft have tailwind limitation set by the manufacturers during the certification process, and therefore are not permitted to take off or land when the prevailing winds are beyond these limits.
She said the departure out of E. T. Joshua Airport and the night landings into Melville Hall are affected by tailwinds and therefore the decision to cancel flights is taken in the interest of safety.
“While we will continue to do our best to provide our customers with a smooth travel experience, we must operate within the limitations set by the aircraft manufacturer and occasionally we will have no alternative but to cancel flights due to the high winds,” Reifer-Jones added.
“At this time of year the wind conditions in St. Vincent restrict the take-off weight of the aircraft and when this occurs, the company is obliged to restrict the number of bags that can be taken on the aircraft.”
She said LIAT reservations and airport personnel stand ready to assist customers who have been affected by the cancellations and baggage issues.
