Stranded LIAT passengers allege 'poor' customer service
It was a long day for most of the passengers who were booked to leave the territory at 7:00 AM on flight 527. This news site received calls from several of the passengers shortly after 4:00pm, venting their frustrations that they were unsuccessful in their efforts to get proper word from the LIAT’s agents as to the status of their flight.
“Customer service wasn’t good because every 40 minutes we had to take it on our own initiative to go and find out what exactly was going on with the flight. They wouldn’t use the system to announce it that the flight would be delayed. They only did like once this morning (yesterday morning) and said that they would get back to us about 9:30 but by the time they came again we were already by the counter waiting to hear what was going on, and all they announced, not even calling the flight number, said all LIAT passengers please come to the counter,” alleged one of the passengers, Ms Heidi.
Another passenger, Ms Michelle Gabriel, said that later in the morning a LIAT agent told them that they were going to charter a flight for them to get to their destination, however, that was never the case. “They told us since morning that they were going to charter a flight for us and every half hour is another half hour and until about 3:30pm they called us and give us the bad news to say they didn’t get through with the charter for us and we will have to stay on until tomorrow (today),” explained Ms Gabriel.
It was explained that some passengers who were booked to leave on LI 527 out of Beef Island destined for places like Guyana and other far flung countries were sent off on other flights around 12:00noon while some 10 passengers for closer destinations like Antigua were made to stay back.
“No breakfast, no Lunch, I think one and two persons got lunch but no one offered me lunch, no luggage we stranded like lost people,” said Ms Catherine Cabon.
About ten passengers who were eventually booked into local hotels said that their frustrations were prolonged because when they asked for their luggage they were told that it had left the territory. “They couldn’t tell us where on earth our luggage went, we here with just what we had in our hand. I have absolutely no clothes, my medications gone, my blood pressure up and they telling me they cannot help me, I have to find whatever money in need to get stuff because they have no money to give us,” Ms Gabriel further added. Her statements were supported by another passenger, Sheldon Richards.
When some of the passengers arrived at Maria’s By the Sea where LIAT had arranged for them to spend the night they were allegedly told that they were only allowed dinner at a cost no more than $25 and no breakfast for this morning.
When contacted a local agent told this news site they were not at liberty to speak with the media and directed us to their Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Desmond L. Brown. Up to post time, Mr Brown had not responded to our email queries.
One of the local agents also asked our reporter since when such issue becomes news worthy and questioned if that is what journalism has come to or whether LIAT was a target.
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39 Responses to “Stranded LIAT passengers allege 'poor' customer service”
Times have changed. What used to work years ago is not working now. We have evolved, we have grown and transformed into an educated population that has a penchant for excellence, which includes exemplary service. So if you people at Liat don't want to, or refuse to change to meet the challenges of an evolving and growing community, then Liat should do the honourable thing. Bow out. The Airline industry is a service industry so Liat should either shape up or ship out. Are you really a Liat employee? If you are,......................, don't know what to say.
what wrong with them.
Government cannot bring in an airline that is just ignorance. We all know the minute government get involved you all will start the sell out nonsense. Live with the sloppy service since we love and adore £$%^&* ignorance.
"One of the local agents also asked our reporter since when such issue becomes news worthy and questioned if that is what journalism has come to or whether LIAT was a target."
That person can't be serious right? This the problem with the BVI, all form of dirtiness going on & the answer is to sweep it under the rug and hide it from ppl knowing. Keep your mouth shut & go like nothing wrong....SMDH, this place needs a divine intervention
C C AINT U A CHEF AT MOORINGS RESTAURANT ???? WHAT U DOING GOING IN TAXI...
She work for moorings restaurant mwv has a chef that Ca...rine c...n
Mass confusion,ignorance,uncivil going around in circles with repeat performances of lunacy.
Comfortable in their mess .
The way the BVI is moving,it too will be in the mix as it continues to shovel this dirge into our shores to the extent of becoming a country with a dominancy of such people and their cultures of disrespect.
to Tortola. I just heard back from Liat the other day about my questions and concerns and my claim - and they denied
any compensation in the bizarre situation after the plane was grounded. Truly part of the mess was due to the
customs and immigration in Antigua in the dead of night, and not allowing passengers out of the locked airport terminal
in St. Kitts. But overall, it stank. I do note no article about the events back in June and just saw this on line now.
There MUST be something done to get another carrier and air routes from the BVI to other Caribbean destinations.
The current situation is plain sick.
to see the bulge in my pocket. I pulled out my James Bond handkerchief that 'Q' had given me, and unloaded some
nose stuff into it to prove its harmlessness. I was going to spend a week in Antigua but had aborted that plan.
Antigua is a card. Maybe Pinochet liked to vacation there.