Following years of customer complaints about InterCaribbean Airways, a Virgin Islands government minister has joined a chorus of regional leaders warning the carrier to shape up.
In response, the airline’s CEO is promising improvements.
Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer, who has responsibility for airports, recently urged InterCaribbean to “accelerate efforts to rectify inadequate service levels provided to travellers” from the territory, government announced last week.
The warnings came during “urgent discussions” with airline CEO Trevor Sadler and Chief Operations Officer Craig Chapple and followed “numerous” public complaints about delays, cancellations and other service issues, according to Government Information Services.
“During these talks, the airline officials attributed the disruptions primarily to technical difficulties with their aircraft and ongoing staffing challenges,” government reported on Aug. 15.
CEO’s response
In an email to the Beacon this week, Mr. Sadler acknowledged that customers had faced “challenges” due to “operational disruptions.”
He added that the airline is taking measures to address the situation. These measures, he wrote, include implementing “staffing adjustments to better manage crew scheduling and availability” as well as “enhancing our operational resilience to minimise the impact of external factors like weather events.”
Already, he said, these measures have started to yield results, including “improved on-time performance and fewer flight interruptions over the past two weeks.”
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that work remains to be done and said the airline plans to monitor its operations and invest as needed while engaging “transparently” with the government and customers.
Better service
Mr. Rymer, meanwhile, stressed the importance of dependable, efficient air service for maintaining the territory’s regional connections and supporting the local economy, according to GIS.
“The government of the Virgin Islands is committed to the well-being of our residents and visitors,” Mr. Rymer said. “We have urged InterCaribbean Airways to accelerate their efforts to rectify these issues and restore the standard of service that our community expects and deserves.”
Mr. Rymer’s ministry also pledged to closely monitor the situation and keep the public updated on any further developments.
“The government remains dedicated to exploring all possible options to ensure that the air travel needs of the BVI community are met with the highest service standards,” GIS stated.
Common complaints
Complaints about the airline have become commonplace in recent years, and this month has been no different.
On Aug. 4, one VI customer took to Facebook to request a contact number for British Airways.
“InterCaribbean have sent too small a plane for the amount of people booked on and are offering a replacement flight a week from now,” she wrote, provoking a chorus of other comments complaining about the airline.
Other criticism
Mr. Rymer is not the first regional leader to criticise InterCaribbean in recent months.
At the start of August, Robert Reis, the Guyana honorary consul in Antigua and Barbuda, blasted the airline in a public statement.
“In the past six weeks, complaints have surfaced regarding cancelled and delayed flights across several destinations served by the airline,” Mr. Reis stated. “There is growing concern over what appears to be inadequate attention to these matters by the airline and its handling agents.”
He added that travellers inconvenienced by the airline in Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia and Guyana had not received any compensation.
“This has resulted in unjust additional financial burdens as passengers are forced to find alternative travel arrangements at their own expense,” he stated.
He also called for regional governments to engage with the airline, noting that its permission to operate in the region is contingent on honouring its service agreements.
“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,” Mr. Reis stated. “The additional costs incurred by travellers and the seeming indifference of handling agents only compound the distress.”
Last year, the Guyana aviation minister was among the regional officials who issued similar warnings.