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Winair outsources Montserrat route, pilots shortage a factor
by The Daily Herald
Posted: May 24, 2006 14:40 UTC
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HILIPSBURG - Short of pilots and missing one aircraft because of maintenance, Windward Islands Airways International (Winair) has decided to have Carib Aviation execute flights between Antigua and Montserrat temporarily. Despite the financial woes, Winair is hiring new personnel.
Winair’s Managing Director Edwin Hodge said Winair had contracted Carib Aviation, a regional company that operates Twin Otters and Islanders similar to the aircraft used by Winair, since early May.
Hodge explained the reasons for taking the decision to have Carib Aviation, Winair’s standard backup, execute the Antigua-Montserrat route temporarily were two-fold. One aircraft is out of operation due to maintenance. The other reason has to do with the airline’s shortage of pilots.
Winair will pick up the route again after the aircraft is back in service and the company has acquired the needed pilots. “It all depends on the resources,” Hodge said. Winair has a two-year contract with Montserrat’s government to fly the route Antigua-Montserrat exclusively. The contract ends in July 2007.
Execution of Montserrat flights normalised on Monday after the collapse of the dome of Soufrière Hills volcano early Saturday hampered flights to and from that island, said Hodge.
Winair has stopped flying the route St. Maarten-Antigua, at least for now. The low season and the consequent lower load factors contributed to that decision. Passengers have been rebooked on LIAT and Caribbean Star. Antigua traditionally is not a big route for Winair.
Winair had better general load factors this month, about nine per cent, compared to the same month last year. However, the load factor was eight per cent “under budget,” the number that had been budgeted, anticipated by the airline. May is the first official month of the low season.
Despite its financial constraints, Winair has started the process to hire additional staff. The airline needs pilots, mechanics, customer service supervisors and agents, and a flight operations officer. The vacancies are being advertised in the newspaper.
Besides being faced with a shortage of personnel in certain departments, Winair is also hiring to gear up for operations at the new airport terminal building. The airlines have to have a certain amount of staff to be able to operate at the new terminal building and remain compliant with international standards. It has to do with certain processes, including baggage handling, explained Hodge.
To curtail the increase in operational expenses, Winair’s management is looking at increasing revenues, cutting cost and improving efficiency, Hodge said.
Hodge announced that a new handling agent had been selected in St. Eustatius, but declined to give details. He said the new agent, which will replace Killy-Killy, will do aircraft handling and will also sell tickets at Franklin D. Roosevelt Airport. Winair’s decision to end the business relation with Killy-Killy a few months ago reportedly had to do with an issue between the two companies regarding ticket sales.
The new agent was selected based on a bidding process.
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