Several Antiguan and Barbudan travellers stranded in Punta Cana following a LIAT flight cancellation have returned home safely after an emergency overnight recovery operation was arranged over the weekend.
According to Antigua News Room, the passengers had been scheduled to fly home on Sunday when they were informed — after already departing their hotels for the airport — that their weekly return LIAT service had been cancelled. With only one scheduled LIAT flight per week operating on the route, those affected faced the prospect of remaining in the Dominican Republic for several additional days.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne intervened directly, working alongside LIAT management and aviation officials to arrange a special flight to repatriate the stranded passengers. Throughout the disruption, LIAT maintained contact with those affected and issued an apology for the inconvenience caused.
The recovery flight touched down safely at V.C. Bird International Airport in the early hours of Monday morning. Airport authorities coordinated with runway rehabilitation crews at the facility to accommodate the late-night arrival.
The swift intervention spared passengers the financial burden of extended hotel stays and other unplanned expenses. The episode also underscored the capacity for cooperation between the Government, LIAT, and airport officials when responding to an emerging travel crisis.
