Multiple flights from major carriers affected by closure of GAIA

Authorities are reporting that eight flights from major carriers have been affected by the closure of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) as a result of volcanic activity in St Vincent.

However, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins told members of the media during a press conference this afternoon that while flights flying in and out of Barbados have been affected, their load capacities are still quite low.

“We don’t have the numbers of persons filling the seats on the planes but we do have the planes flying since we would have done consolidation of flights since earlier in the year,” Cummins said.

Cummins said as of 5:30 p.m. on Friday the airspace was declared closed on advice from the Barbados Civil Aviation Department. The Minister assured Barbadians that precautions have been taken to protect the equipment at GAIA, in addition to every effort being made that there are no flight challenges coming into Barbados.

“We have received many calls from Barbadians who are meant to be travelling out or meant to have their relatives travelling in and we have heard that there have been some disruptions as a result of the cancellation of flights. All flights were cancelled yesterday and all flights remain cancelled throughout the weekend,” Cummins said.

Director of Civil Aviation Tracey Forde-Bayley said coordination of international flights continues with the Area Control Centre based in Trinidad, tasked with the responsibility to pass advisory to these flights.

Forde-Bayley said that around 3 p.m. on Friday, a British Airways flight en route to Barbados was diverted to Antigua as a result of the volcanic activity. (AH)