by SANKA PRICE

LIAT WILL SOON lose business from two of its most frequent flying companies because of dissatisfaction with its service.

Construction magnate Sir Charles Williams and his brother, industrialist Ralph "Bizzy" Williams, who have been travelling weekly on the regional air carrier for more than 30 years, are so fed up with the airline's service that they have decided to purchase their own plane to transport them and their employees across the Caribbean.

This was confirmed by Sir Charles in a recent interview at his Lears, St Michael office.

"I am so distraught and disgusted with the performance of LIAT since the amalgamation, or shutdown of Caribbean Star, that "Bizzy" and myself – although I said that I would never do it – have decided, and have ordered our own small plane," said Sir Charles.

"It's a new concept in plane. It is supposed to be the safest plane flying because you know I am a big coward in flying, though I travel a lot," he added.

Sir Charles said his brother researched the plane and test flights were done in the region. He hopes to receive the plane this month and, within weeks of doing so it should be in service.

The construction magnate has been travelling the region several days each week over the last 30 years visiting projects in Antigua, St Lucia, St Vincent and other islands where his company, C.O. Williams Construction Limited, has several road and highway contracts. "Bizzy" also has interests in several businesses in the islands and travels there frequently.

"LIAT could say goodbye to C.O. Williams and its staff, and "Bizzy", because he travels nearly every week too," said Sir Charles.

He outlined a number of incidents over the last several weeks alone which left them stranded or delayed for long periods in different islands, and noted that business travellers in the region deserved better than what LIAT was doing.

Sir Charles' complaints about LIAT's service were not new. Over the last several months, travellers across the region have been bemoaning what they said was a decline in service since the buyout of Caribbean Star by LIAT, though they have had to endure a steep hike in prices.

Even one of LIAT's main defenders, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines, slammed the airline's service recently, calling it "sloppy".

In August, Gonsalves said it was time the airline shaped up.

"Persons must not confuse my defence and support of LIAT from a strategic standpoint and assume that I will be defending LIAT with sloppy service," he said.

The prime minister said he had spoken to LIAT chairman Jean Holder as well as
St Vincent and the Grenadines' representative on the airline's board of directors, Isaac Solomon, and made it clear "that I want to see an improvement of service".