LIAT passengers forced to stand in the rain, claims passenger

By L.K. Hewlett
Editor- SKNVibes.com

St. Johns, Antigua – PASSENGERS awaiting LIAT flight 324 scheduled to depart Antigua for St. Kitts and St. Maarten at 7:10 last night (August 5th) were the latest victims of the airline’s apparent inept customer service when they were made to stand in the rain after airline staff refused to allow them onto the plane, one of the slighted told SKNVibes.com.

According to one frustrated passenger’s first-hand account, their plight did not begin there, having had to wait on an already late flight and asked to queue up for boarding three times without actually exiting to board the flight.

After passengers had lined up the first time, she continued, they were informed that ground crew had to ‘change a tire on the plane’ and asked to return to their seats. Passengers were again told to queue up for boarding only to be told after several lapsed minutes that they should ‘have a seat’.

On the third boarding call, the agitated passengers stood in line at the departure gate waiting to board for approximately 30 minutes before one passenger demanded that the LIAT staff members explain what was happening.

“The tire has been changed however we are awaiting the arrival of the plane’s captain. He has not arrived as yet. You can take a seat or continue to stand, whichever you prefer,” was the response given by a female LIAT employee SKNVibes.com was told. ~~Adz:Right~~

The traveler continued to recount the events, “We were finally escorted across the runway to the plane as rain began to drizzle. At the plane, the flight attendant announced that persons travelling with children were to board first. Even after those were boarded, the remaining passengers were denied entry to the plane as the LIAT employee began rattling on about boarding procedures for persons traveling with children. We told him there weren’t any more children to board and that the rain was coming down harder.”

He said the flight attendant then announced that they would not be allowed to board because they were “irate”, to which the passengers frustration escalated to the point where some began cursing. In response he said the female attendant ‘sucked her teeth’ and retreated back into the plane.

“All this time we are standing outside the plane in the wind and drizzling rain after we had waited for so long in the cold departure lounge and been made to line up so many times like poppy-show. I couldn’t believe the nerve of these people. I think the only way LIAT might improve is if the CEO and other bigwigs in the company have to travel on their planes; let them see what their passengers go through on a regular basis,” the individual expressed.

The flight which was scheduled to arrive in St. Kitts at 7:40 p.m. landed an hour late at 8:40 and according to the passenger’s account of events, the flight attendant only apologized for the lateness of the flight as was part of their standard announcement in such circumstances.

SKNVibes.com attempted to contact the customer service manager of regional carrier but was unsuccessful in its multiple attempts.