Ground Handling Issues at St. Lucia Lead to Flight Cancellations, IATA Urges Action
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has raised serious concerns over the severe operational disruptions at Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) following labor action by the airport’s sole ground handling provider.
Reports indicate that 80% of the company’s staff called in sick, leading to widespread flight delays and cancellations, significantly affecting passengers and airline operations.
Lack of Alternatives Worsens the Crisis
According to IATA, the reliance on a single ground handling provider at UVF has exacerbated the situation, leaving airlines with no alternative solutions to maintain normal operations.
Peter Cerdá, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Americas, stated: “IATA is pressing the Civil Aviation Authority and airport authorities to implement immediate contingency measures to restore normal operations and minimize disruption. We are also seeking direct engagement with the Ministers of Transport and Tourism to ensure a swift resolution to this labor dispute and to discuss long-term reforms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.”
Call for Structural Reforms
IATA emphasized that diversifying ground handling service providers at UVF is essential to enhancing operational resilience and ensuring the stability of Saint Lucia’s aviation sector. The association warned that relying on a single provider creates an unnecessary risk, as demonstrated by the current crisis.
IATA urged authorities to take swift and decisive action to resolve the immediate disruption and to implement structural changes that will safeguard the reliability and efficiency of the airport in the long term.
Flights at Hewanorra International Airport
This airport primarily handles medium- and long-haul flights operated by major international airlines serving Saint Lucia.
- American Airlines flies from Charlotte-Douglas, New York-JFK, Miami, and Philadelphia.
- Air Canada operates flights from Toronto.
- JetBlue serves the airport from Boston and New York-JFK.
- British Airways connects London-Gatwick with triangular flights including Georgetown, Grenada, and Tobago.
- Delta Air Lines flies from Atlanta.
- TUI Airways operates from London-Gatwick.
- United Airlines offers flights from Newark and Chicago-O’Hare.
- Virgin Atlantic connects London-Heathrow with Saint Lucia.
- WestJet flies from Toronto.
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