Govts’ intervention needed to address poor interCaribbean Airways service – Guyana Consul

Following numerous complaints of travellers being inconvenienced and of substandard treatment being meted out by handling agents of the interCaribbean Airways, Guyana’s Honorary Consul in Antigua and Barbuda, Robert Reis, on Wednesday called for the governments of the two countries to ensure their contractual service agreements with the airline are honoured.

Over the past six weeks, complaints have surfaced of flights being cancelled or delayed across several destinations served by this airline, headquartered in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and there are reports that the airline and its handling agents lack empathy and accountability in addressing matters promptly.
Further, compensation has not yet been provided to travellers who have faced issues in Guyana, as well as in Antigua, Barbados and St Lucia.
This, the Consul said, has resulted in unjust additional financial burdens being placed on passengers, as they were forced to find alternative travel arrangements at their own expense.
Reis emphasised the experiences of Guyanese travelling from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to Montserrat, and from Antigua to Guyana, as these passengers usually cover considerable distances with connecting flights.
“Recent incidents, such as the stranding of a family, including small children, from Montserrat at the VC Bird International Airport in Antigua, and the excessive delays and flight cancellations faced by passengers underscore the urgency of this matter. The additional costs incurred by travellers and the seeming indifference from handling agents only compound the distress,” the statement read.
In this regard, Reis called on the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana to engage with the interCaribbean Airways, as permission for the airline to operate within the region has been granted by these governments, making them rightfully positioned to insist that the contractual service agreements be honoured.
Further, the Honorary Consul recognised the role that the interCaribbean Airways could play in regional travel, and their subsequent need to improve performance as well as the Governments’ roles in safeguarding the interest of passengers.
He urged all relevant stakeholders to come together to address this situation promptly, adding that it is in the best interest of all parties, especially the travelling public, to ensure that the service provided meets the standards of reliability, empathy, and professionalism that they rightly expect and deserve.