UPDATE: Control tower strike ends, VI airports resume full operation
This comes after work at the control tower was yesterday, Friday, May 26, 2023, brought to a halt with the authority issuing a press release saying the airport has been temporarily closed due to an "operational issue at the Control Tower".
Managing Director Mr. Kurt Menal in a press release, today said the airport was forced to close after the authority could not satisfy the minimum requirement in staffing levels to ensure continuous operations of the control tower in accordance with applicable regulations.
Operational contingency plan went into action
Mr. Menal added that upon realizing that the authority was unable to satisfy this requirement, yesterday, the management and operations teams immediately met to develop an operational contingency plan to allow operations to continue which was only possible through 1:00 pm on Friday.
Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Theodore E. Burke in apologizing for the inconvenience caused said that upon being informed of the imminent closure of the airports, the board of directors immediately convened an emergency meeting to reassure the management team that the board is fully committed to supporting any and all efforts to return the airport to fully operational status.
He added that the board of directors ware mindful and understands the national importance of the airport to the territory and recognizes that many business operations, family plans, and lives would have been affected during the temporary closure.
See previous story publishes yesterday, May 26, 2023
TB Lettsome International Airport closed due to staff strike
- employees allegedly demanding overdue increments
TRELLIS BAY, Beef Island, VI- Sources at the senior level of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIPA) have told our new centre that air traffic controllers have taken industrial actions, forcing the airport to close.
This industrial action was taken sometime today, Friday May 26, 2023.
It is unclear what the real issues are, but it may be surrounding pay and being short staffed. Reports are that the staff are demanding their increments.
The BVI Airports Authority issued a press release saying the airport has been temporarily closed due to an "operational issue at the Control Tower".
Regrettably, it comes on the heels of the hype yesterday when there was a test flight by American Eagle.
We will bring you more details as they become available.
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62 Responses to “UPDATE: Control tower strike ends, VI airports resume full operation”
Why is it the only one of those witchcraft cloths left and District Rep passing it almost every day?????
REMOVE IT!!!!
Pay the people their money, and their wouldn’t be a strike. You think this is the 7 million plane money??
Wasting money, but won’t pay people their hard earned salary, is asking for things like this and more.
ONE CAN SAY THAT THOSE KIDS ARE HELD HOSTAGE.
So shut it
You should blame the government for not running the airport properly. Staffing comes first; focus on the essential positions.
The government is quick to add ministries with countless ministers, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, assistants to the deputies, etc. They're all well paid. No one would even notice if they were gone!
But the skilled technical positions get short shrift. Not much seems to come of the salary reviews and countless consultants.
they should have warned publically of their strike intentions, with a deadline, and then do it. I sympathise for their reasons for doing the strike, but the way it has been done is grossly irrisponsible
SMH
But thats just the way it is the staff have to deal with it because the have kids to feed and responsibilities but really and truly there are no leaders to lead just a set of position hungry bastards who have no interest in taking the responsibility the are getting paid to take
ps. i only talking wa i know cause the amount of incidents ii heard that are still unanswered and left in the dark because leaders refuse to take responsibility is just sad to see.
Wow this cannot be taken lightly at all.
Something have to be done so it doesn't happen again in the future.