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**Kirikho Kona** » 2011-12-09 17:03

unfortunately many people here seem to believe us "glorified bus drivers" are robots...they don't realize fatigue is a threat to safety just as much as mechanical problems. when flying, we're not just sitting around talking to atc...we're constantly checking fuel consumption, performance, emergency requirements for the phase of flight, etc (a short 15 minute hop is really intense) - and doing all of that in stifling heat is just torture.

when Bombardier (then DeHavilland) designed the DHC-8, its environmental control systems were not designed with tropical climates in mind. its not like on ATR's where the cockpit side windows can be opened for ventilation on he ground.

that aside though...people are just listening/quoti ng one part of Capt Blackburns statements...if they took the time to listen to the full statement they'd hear a different message...but the management knowing fully well the public would more listen to them than the hapless pilots over at liat, twisted it around cleverly to use it against him...

**Country man** » 2011-12-09 15:55

Are you sure you have the facts? As far as I'm aware captain Blackburn never said that LIAT is not safe.What I understand in what he said i** was Safer when they had Fewer Management. And if it is an indictment against ECCAA then so be it. Someone need to ask Mr Challenger and ECCAA how many break downs they have on a weekly/Monthly basis. Maybe you SIR/Madam need to find out that. even the Issue with cabin temperatures being to high. How many of us work in offices and when the AC not working how effective are we able to carry out our duties? If the Union can't blow the whistle then who can? would it have made a difference if Mr Blackburn was a shop steward for a Labour Union and the union blow**le?

**Kirikho Kona** » 2011-12-09 14:15

plus don't forget the 3 or 4 very widely publicized occurrences of LIAT dash8's main gear tires falling off in flight here and st maarten (2009/2010 i think)

**Kirikho Kona** » 2011-12-09 14:13

without going into specific details they (LIAT) have had several breaches over the years, particularly since they acquired the other 300's after the initial 3 they had (the 'new' ones were really all second/third/an d one fourth-hand)... it just never made the news here...

the media in antigua isn't as open as that in the usa

**Common Sense** » 2011-12-09 09:02

It would appear that what is unfortunate here is the Prime Minister's statement. He would have been involved in and instigated many similar actions over the years, both at the union and Ntional levels. Whatthen is so wrong withe the actin of yhe pilots? Answer that Mr. Spencer.
Also, Mr. Spencer is fully aware that our Industrial Relations system is seriously broken with a Labour Department which takes a year to have hearings and another year to produce reports. Who would want to rely on a system like that?
The unions would be fully aware that if they do not succeed in getting the captain re-instated they would lose every other critical issue between them and LIAT.
Mr. Spencer would have taken part in, and instigated many forms of action over the years at the union and National levels, What makes this type of action wrong all of a sudden?
Don;t be a hypocrite Mr. Spencer. Remember from where you came.

**HTH Peppersauce** » 2011-12-09 01:30

The difference here is that there were actual, quantifiable safety breaches. I haven't heard of any specific violation by LIAT of a rule set forth by the ECCAA. Did Capt. Blackburn pinpoint actual safety concerns, or while complaining about management, did he make a slanderous generalization to try to support his complaints?

**John French II** » 2011-12-08 21:50

Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock. A&B has a Prized Dog in this Hunt. How do you ensure that it has the best nose in the Hunt for Passengers. Become the lowest cost producer and provide the Best Customer Service.
Can this existing shareholder structure bring about the desired & required Change Management & Quality Imperatives? Given what you know about that Dog, will it Hunt? South-South forget the north-north with SIDS pops, CAL can pay them courtesy calls, no more bus service: muses the beautiful lady. A new entity a la the swoopping eagle with no crows in the skies say the comrade socialist. The St. James Dog has a good nose for all & sundry. Just use me as your Hub.
Can A&B become the major Shareholder? You Know the Answer? To those Natives of the Rock, who continue to look to things foreign and FDI, you will arise from this fog of economic warfare and your offspring will ask, what role did you play in the Hunt? A&B Unions?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqrc46ouZz8
The Good Hon Dr. PM is to be congratulated. Revisit all JF's Comments & see the Consistency. He Needs Help and May Heaven Help The Nation Of Antigua & Barbuda. Redonda?

**John French II** » 2011-12-08 21:06

Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock. The Blues have invested their Goodwill in the Colonial Rag and Chatterboxes. Robinson Crusoe and and the serpentile Man Friday will not come to the rescue. They are true Blue Euro Privateers. Ponder on these: Jamaica Ambassador is struggling to taking off, and glide in the friendly skies. CAL has introduced the southern flying public to its brand new ATR's bought from the Northern Atlantic. Yet the Good Lady touts South South Trade. Blues are enraptured & ensnaredby her language, charms and black gold. RedJet, incorporated in Helen, based in Bim's and OWNED by Euro Privateers continues its rapacious, deceptive, yet friendly brouge of price warfare and has secured access to all SIDS with lengthy landing strips. Vincy is a few years away and will have one of the Best in these SIDS. Do you have a dog in this Hunt? Who is willing to step to the wicket and speak for this nurtured investment? Do You see anything Fe smile for? Who will be Your Role Model? What will your nights be for the next three years of negative growth in addition to the previous three living in the IMF's National Economic & Social Transformation (NEST) Plan.

**John Thommas** » 2011-12-08 20:36

Liat changed the CEO, CFO, Dir.HR, yet the unions still say bad management. Whose management has remained the same other than the unions? Maybe therein lies the problem!!

**John French II** » 2011-12-08 19:55

Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock. First Full Disclosure, I am unabashedly a supporter of this Caribbean Airline. Let me draw attention to this quoted explanation: Quote:

This is actually an amalgamation of two separate expressions, "that dog won't hunt" and "i have no dog in this fight".
"That dog won't hunt" means what you're attempting to do will be met with failure, as in "no matter how many times you run the race, that dog won't hunt". The origin of that phrase does originate in southern hunting culture. It relates to dogs that don't have a good sense of smell, thus not being a good hunting dog.
"No dog in the fight" means you have no concern for the outcome of a given situation.

Friends, CountryWomen/Me n, Ouadadlians, Rastas, "Pickey Head People" you have a Prized Dog in this fight. That the Good Hon. Dr. PM has made his position very clear is to be applauded and I am forever grateful that he has taken the High Road and approached this from a Caribbean perspective. Someone needs to speak for the Nation Of Antigua & Barbuda including Redona. It should not be left to the Red Rabble Rouser Senator. He speaks truth to power but loses Blue the audience.

**kirikho kona** » 2011-12-08 15:01

sorry i should have clarified, the FAA fined AA 17 million for the breach...

(sorry for the marconic grammar...engli sh isn't my first language lol)

**kirikho kona** » 2011-12-08 14:58

to correct you on something, at AA some pilots did blow the whistle to the media regarding the maintenance on electrical wiring and other components of their 200+ strong Md-82/83 fleet and the ALPA/AOPA barred AA from firing them. The FAA also ordered AA to ground ALL their MD-80 series to do the required inspections...p lus a 17 million dollar fine for the breach. this happened in early 2009. the same happened to Delta (with 757's) in early 2010, and southwest with their 737's late 2010-2011.

so whistle blowing by UNIONIZED pilots aren't as uncommon as you think.

**Antiguan Woman** » 2011-12-08 14:06

We all know all you know how to do is weild power, not everyone will sit back and allow themselves to be trampled on,there must become a time when something must be sacrified in order to gain. Telling the pilots how they should react to the situation is not exactly whats expected of you, people are free to react however they want,wrong a wrong and right a right regardless who done it.

**HTH Peppersauce** » 2011-12-08 12:47

Our tourism based economy cannot stand even one more smear to our reputation. It's one thing to 'stand up for worker's rights'. But those rights do not include slandering and committing libel against his employer, and the governing body. The man CANNOT be brought back to the workforce.

If a pilot for AA went on CNN saying that the airplanes are all unsafe, pieces of garbage, and that the FAA doesn't know how to conduct themselves, do you really think AA would re-instate him?

Charlie Sheen publicly slandered the network he worked for. And now Ashton Kutcher is the new guy on 2.5 men. It is time for the thousands of unemployed / underemployed pilots to step in for Mr. Blackburn, and any other pilots who think it is within their rights to bring an already struggling airline, to it's knees.

Our hoteliers need people in their rooms. Our cabbies need people in their taxis. Our restauranteurs need people eating in their establishments. This is no way to increase those numbers.

**HTH Peppersauce** » 2011-12-08 12:38

re; Get the Facts - It's nice to see one other voice of reason here.

The man was deliberately sabotaging the company he works for. Employers cannot take action against an employee who publicly slanders the company he works for?

If he had issues with safety protocol, what steps did he take prior to going public? Memos to the management? Directives to the ground crew?

If LIAT really were unsafe as he alleged, why have I never once heard of one crashing. LIAT doesn't have the luxury of the large airlines, where the plane takes off, and then 3, 7, or even 14 hours later, they land again. Island hopping planes take the most unimaginable beating, by taking off and landing dozens of times per week. Thousands of flights per year, and I've never heard of a catastrophe.

I think the ground crew of LIAT, as well as the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, deserve a BIG UP, for the amazing work they do. And I think Blackburn needs to go find work for a company who enjoys having it's employees publicly slander them. Good luck.

**Facts** » 2011-12-08 12:03

What many of you who are supporting the irresponsible utterances of Captain Blackburn fail to understand is that by coming out and claiming that LIAT has safety issues is also and indictment against the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority and their competence to manage air traffic within the region. Visit their website and read what their responsibilitie s entail and simply juxtapose that to the operations of LIAT. http://www.eccaa.aero/

**@Pellucid** » 2011-12-08 10:52

It is clear that some people lack the basic life science of understanding and it beat me how these people get into public office. I wish we had more people like the pilots who would stand up for each other. We are a bunch of gutless and heartless people who care nothing about our fellow neighbor. Capt Blackburn decided to speack up about safety and how it affects us as consumers and for that LIAT fires him. This government is insistent on silencing anyone who speaks against them. This is a clear example. We all know how the legal system works it takes months sometimes years to get legal action. What is Blackburn to do until then sit and twiddle his thumbs ? HTH Peppersause needs to get real ! Wake up and smell the coffee we are already loosing tourist to every other caribbean country because we have incapable and incompetent ministers at the helm of our money plant !

**HTH Peppersauce** » 2011-12-08 09:22

These pilots don't realize how much harm they are doing. Can you imagine coming here on vacation, and having to stay on additional time because some ** pilots are throwing a tantrum like little children? Imagine you've saved up all year for your 7 day vacation in Antigua, only to have to spend that time in Puerto Rico, because every employee of the Antiguan based airline called in sick?

The people who have been GREATLY inconvenienced by this will tell every friend, family member and anyone who will listen, about the awful experience they had with Antigua.

We wanted to get more exposure throughout the tourism sector? This will do it. If we want to get even more exposure, we'll need to incarcerate some more tourists for not letting themselves get ripped off by a taxi driver, or maybe execute some more honeymooners.

But don't worry, over then next few months, lots of people around the world will hear about how a friend or loved one's vacation was ruined by the pilots of an Antiguan airline refusing to come to work.

**Tobi** » 2011-12-08 09:03

Looks like the PM not happy to stay home; maybe save the country some money on a flight instead of having another useless meeting and having nothing to show for it.

**Dig It** » 2011-12-08 08:36

Mr. PM, sometimes our leaders need to experience the "stress" of the very people they governed. Perhaps some of our leaders need to be "grounded" more and spend more time understanding the peoples plight? Mr. PM, perhaps, now is the time to have your Finance Minister explain to the people a "patched-up" 2012 budget? Why your office get most of the slice of the pie? Why the budget couldn't have a greater reduction than 50 million dollars? I I totally understand your concern about LIAT losing $1 million a day in this IA but what about the millions your government squandered in the last 7 years with wasteful spending? What about how our indebted to the IMF and other regional and international donors? Mr. PM, a trip (not sure of how added much value) should be your least concern right now!

**BEEF** » 2011-12-08 07:38

I listened to Prime Minister Gonsalves this morning on another media and when I add what I heard to what I have read it is clear to me and in my humble opinion these two individuals are a part of the problem and not a part of the solution. A hundred million French Men seems to see clearly that there is a problem with L.I.A.T. management but it appears as if the "shareholders head" are not among that number. I just have to smile the hypocrisy. It is beginning to become clear to me that when the pilots seem to have believed they have "friends in certain area" THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AT ALL.

**Beef** » 2011-12-08 06:43

http://www.caribarena.com/antigua/news/latest/97290-government-gets-an-f.html

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