CARIBARENA Antigua

Tensions remain high among LIAT's pilots, although they have resumed their duties to fly the airline’s planes across the Caribbean. The pilots, members of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA), called in sick for two days after failing to get an apology and retraction of a statement from management, which had claimed there was an agreement that the contending sides would decide on a way forward.

On Friday morning, however, management announced that their operations had resumed as the pilots had turned out to work.

But President of LIALPA Captain Michael Blackburne told Caribarena.com that this does not mean all is well.

“The company has not met our demands and our position still stands,” he said, noting that in the immediacy, “The company will continue to face resentment and withdrawal of enthusiasm.”

“Who says tomorrow morning there can’t be some other matter, I don’t know what the guys are going to do," he said. "The men remain frustrated, they want their money.”

“The matter is not solved and the company should expect resistance from the pilots at any time,” he further cautioned.

Blackburne said the company has only yielded to one of their demands, and that was clearly not enough.

“The company has conceded only on one demand, one demand, and that is to pay individual pilots lawful deductions,” he noted.

“In my personal opinion, manifestations of resentment, discontent and lack of enthusiasm is likely at any moment,” Blackburned noted.

The LIAT board, in a statement this week, said it viewed the pilots' actions as irresponsible, while urging them to return to work immediately.

Businesses and travellers across the region were left stranded by the two-day strike.

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