Caribbean News Service (CNS)
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug 10 2016 – A group of citizens who returned to Trinidad and Tobago from St Vincent on Monday have not received any luggage from LIAT Airlines.
Indra Balkaran, a passenger on Flight 771 that left the E.T. Joshua Airport, said one of the passengers who suffers from seizures was in need of her medication, which was in her luggage.
She told the Express on Wednesday: “A group of us went to St. Vincent from Trinidad. It was about 16 of us and we travelled on July 30, July 31 and August 1. When we returned, 14 of us were on the flight 771 by LIAT. We arrived at 11.30 in the morning. We were not aware that our baggage was not on the plane. When we arrived in Trinidad on Monday and we went to collect our baggage, we realised that no passenger on that flight received their luggage.”
She said: “We filled out our luggage claim forms at the airport and we were told that some luggage was coming in the night. So far it’s been three days now and only two persons from our group was able to receive their luggage. Four of us came from New Jersey and one of the ladies she suffers from seizures and needs her medication. They don’t have her medication here. And we are also going back to New Jersey on Sunday. If they (LIAT) could at least send the lady’s luggage with the medication, we will be grateful.”
Balkaran said she called St. Vincent and tried calling baggage claim at Piarco International Airport several times and no one answered the phone.
She also called LIAT’s head office in Antigua and the ET Joshua Airport. She was told that she needed to contact baggage claims at the Piarco International Airport for information on her luggage.
The Express tried to get information from LIAT’s head office in Antigua, LIAT’s representative in Trinidad and Tobago and the baggage claims at the ET Joshua Airport but all attempts were futile.
According to its website, LIAT’s baggage policy states: “LIAT employees strive to ensure you and your checked baggage are always transported on the same flight(s). However, many factors – including weather, delays of connecting flights and Weight Restrictions on the Aircraft can make this task challenging. For those times when you are separated from your baggage, we will do our best to ensure you are reunited with your bags as quickly as possible”. (Trinidad Express)