Airport: --- Several workers of the Windward Islands Airways (WINAIR) will be greeted with sad news today as management of the company plans to inform them via a memo of its intention to cut jobs as they already began cutting back on some of their destinations due to the global economic crisis which continues to affect a number of local businesses.It is understood that due to the global crisis the company is facing a number of challenge which led to the steps that have been taken by management namely Edwin Hodge. Some of the routes that are to be affected are Dominica, Tortola, St. Kitts and Nevis.
The airline stopped all destinations to Dominica and Tortola on March 1 while the remaining routes will halt by March 29th. Due to the cuts some 20 persons are expected to loose their jobs including twelve (12) pilots and eight (8) ground crew members.
It is understood that management attempted to save the routes as well as the jobs but government at some of the destinations had refused to assist the airline which resulted in the present situation.
Air Jamaica announced earlier this year that they were going to cut some 600 jobs while LIAT has already began reducing flights out of Guyana, Antigua, and Barbuda, Barbados and St, Kitts and Nevis, but so far they have failed to say how many people are going to be under the razor. With this announcement WINAIR would be the latest Airline to take these decisions if they are to continue doing business.
While the global economic crisis has affected all cross sections of business and in the tourism sectors WINAIR is no different. It is understood that the routes that are now being affected was not doing well and the company was working at a loss since the governments of those islands refused to share the burden even though they want the airline to continue its operations. With these drastic cut backs WINAIR would only be servicing eight destinations.
Efforts made to contact managing Director of WINAIR Mr. Edwin Hodge for a comment proved futile up to press time.
SMN News plans to follow these developments and will bring it to you when it becomes available.
