The regional airline plans to extend the temporary layoff of pilots for three months, it has been reported.
According to an article in Barbados Today, the airline has advised the the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association of the need for the measure.
According to the publication, a June 11 letter from Human Resources Manager, Samantha May Francis, attributed the situation to the chronic fiscal turbulence experienced by the regional airline, now made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the pandemic, the airline has operated limited service, providing cargo and chartered flights.
But Francis said this is “insufficient to cover the company’s costs.”
In the letter, LIAT assured employees that they would continue to receive medical insurance coverage and staff travel privileges during this period.