Trinidad and Tobago airline passengers demand compensation for flight delays

by Stephen Cummings
Caribbean Net News Trinidad Correspondent 

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Hundreds of airline passengers who booked flights over the weekend to travel between Port of Spain, Trinidad, and Scarborough, Tobago, are now calling for compensation due to flight cancellations and delays by the airline.

Tobago Express airline pilots took industrial action on Sunday effectively shutting down the airline and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. The pilots have been calling for higher wages and are now threatening to stage more protests unless there is an acceptable wage compensation package. 

Trinidad and Tobago's national airline, BWIA, which is also experiencing difficulty in its operations due to financial problems, had to be called in late on Sunday to assist with moving scores of angry passengers between the two islands.

"We are not in a different part of a next country, this is Trinidad and Tobago and not being able to travel from Trinidad to Tobago is a terrible thing," said one angry passenger. "Maybe government should do something about this" the passenger added. Another passenger said nobody called to say that flights were going to be delayed or cancelled.

There was chaos at the Tobago Crown Point terminal with passengers demanding refunds from counter reservation clerks.

An emergency meeting between a group representing the pilots and the Tobago Express airline management was held late on Sunday to ensure no further flight interruptions. Further meetings for a wage settlement are planned for later this week. Up to press time it was unclear how much money the pilots are asking for.

There was little information coming from the Tobago Express airline management on Sunday after numerous attempts were made to contact its general manager, George Bell.

One flight reservation clerk reported that at the time a public statement was being prepared explaining the situation. 

In past months the airline has been seeking a $200 fare increase from an existing $300 air fare between Trinidad and Tobago. The island's Works and Transport Minister, Colm Imbert, says he expects the Air Transport and Licensing Authority will decide on the proposed fare increase in September this year. 

The airline not receiving this increase is also being linked to the current industrial action by pilots.

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