Airport:---As the global economic crisis continues to take a significant toll on a number of businesses in and around the region, WINAIR airlines has announced that they will be cutting some of their routes resulting in job cuts. This announcement was made by Managing Director, Edwin Hodge who said that the airline cannot maintain some routes as it was creating more challenges for the company. The routes that will come under fire are Dominica, Tortola, St Kitts and Nevis. The St. Maarten Antigua route will be reduced to a weekly flight.
Hodge said that Dominica was stopped effective March 1 while the other routes will come to an end on March 29th. He pointed out that in the process some 14 (14) jobs will go noting that it all forms part of his company's attempt to reshape and strengthen as they face the effects of the global economic downturn like other companies. "We will only cut about 14 or so jobs as cutting the routes will mean that some persons will loose their jobs among them being pilots and other departments," Hodge said. WINAIR disclosed that the pilots and the two additional employees are the first set of job losses.
He noted that all attempts at saving those routes are being made pointing out that in he is presently negotiating with Dominica, Tortola, Nevis and St. Kitts. Provided that no agreement is reached between the parties then WINAIR shall refrain from operating scheduled flights to those countries.
The announcement of WINAIR's cutting routes and job cuts is the latest airline to have made this disclosure after Air Jamaica announced early this year that they were going to cut 600 jobs while LIAT Airline while not announcing how many jobs were going to be cut noted that they were reducing flights out of four of its destinations; Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and St Kitts and Nevis as a result of decreased demand.
Hodge said that like an airline WINAIR has to make appropriate decisions if the airline is going to remain alive noting that the global and financial crisis has affected almost every aspect of the tourism and business sector. "Like any other company we would have to make some firm and serous decisions because we have a service to provide and as such we need to continue providing that service effectively and efficiently."
"Cutting the routes will ultimately result in cutting of jobs as WINAIR no longer can keep jobs that are no longer essential and needed for the company," he said. Hodge however gave the assurance that his company would adjust its schedule as time goes by base on the general charges in travel behavior.
Quizzed on some of the contributing factors to his company's decision, Hodge stated that the other flights have been doing well while pointing out that the routes that are being cut has not been doing well for quite some time. He added that WINAIR adjusted those flights some months ago trying to save them, however this has proven futile. and now the firm approach was taken to request the governments to assist in keeping these routes..
Hodge assured that the process of adjustments will continue despite the many challenges that face the airline. "Cutting routes is never an easy thing and more so cutting jobs is certainly difficult but we have to make tough decisions in tough times." Hodge also stated that not only cutting of routes are in gear, but Hodge and his team are also slashing other costs in the company.
"As the region tries to adjust to the global economic impact we will certainly attempt to add capacity where there is a need and reduce capacity where we see there is no need for." he said. Hodge also noted that his airline will be ensuring that adequate and sufficient flights are put in place to handle the Easter travel demands to and from the Islands that remains in the WINAIR's network.