GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Guyana aviation authorities say they are monitoring the situation involving the state-owned Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL) amid confusing reports of industrial action by employees of the airline that forced the cancellation of several domestic, regional, and international flights on Sunday.
Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Field, said CAL had informed him that flights had been disrupted due to “human resource issues,” and he would await an update from CAL on Monday and analyze the situation to advise Public Works Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar.
“I did ask them (CAL) when they expect to have this disruption resolved, and they indicated they couldn’t give me a time, but they were working on it,” he said.
In a Sunday statement, CAL said there have been “disruptions to its operations…due to cockpit crew constraints.
“The airline is experiencing delays and cancellations to many of its International and Domestic services. Affected customers are being advised and re-accommodated on the first available services.”
“There has been a remarkably high volume of calls from pilots reporting that they are unwell and unable to report for duty. These calls came in approximately three hours before flight departure times. It is to be noted that the airline is currently in negotiations with the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association over a collective agreement for the period 2015-2016”.
CAL said as a result, it has had to cancel several flights.
Media reports in Port of Spain said that the airline’s employees had taken industrial action after breaking down wage negotiations.
But the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTAPA) denied that there had been a sick out or industrial action, saying it was “unaware of any strike action being taken by the pilot body.”
The association said that by Section 67(2) of the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01, the pilot body and its members are barred from taking such industrial action since any employer or worker engaged in an essential service is barred from taking it.
TTAPA said it had assured the public that “its members continue to fly with their safety and best interests at heart.”
The cancellation of the flights has left several passengers stranded, with some complaining that they were not informed about the situation.
In a statement issued late Sunday night, CAL said recovery flights were available for affected Miami/Fort Lauderdale passengers.
The airline said that chartered services will operate from Miami to accommodate passengers.
Passengers on BW 483 Miami to POS will be facilitated on G6604, while BW 481 Fort Lauderdale to POS will be transported on G6606. The flights will operate from Miami International Airport. Chartered services will also work to move BW 484 and BW 480 affected passengers out of Trinidad.
Meanwhile, the airline has told stranded passengers in the sister isle of Tobago that their tickets could be used to board the ferry that has put on an additional sailing on Sunday night.
It said the ferry has a passenger capacity 400 “therefore, accommodation will be on a first come, first served basis.”
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