Mitchell confident CAL issues will be resolved

TOURISM, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell is confident that industrial relations issues at state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) will be resolved in the best interest of all parties concerned.

Last weekend, some 5,000 passengers were inconvenienced when 75 CAL pilots called in sick.

Speaking with the media after the opening of the San Fernando Parkade on Tuesday, Mitchell said actions like this would affect the tourism sector. He said this was in terms of both leisure and business travellers.

"It is having an effect.

"I understand that the operations (of CAL) are now restored and we are extremely happy about that."

The ministry is fully behind CAL.

Mitchell said, "I would just like all parties to understand that CAL is a brand...The brand is our national carrier, and we support it 100 per cent."

While there were issues to be resolved at CAL, Mitchell said, "There are issues across the world with other airlines.

"Air Canada recently cancelled its entire winter schedule because of similar industrial action."

Mitchell also recalled that CAL, like many other airlines, is recovering from the effects the covid19 pandemic had on global travel over the last two years.