Legitimately Certified Operators/Airlines in the OECS Print
Monday, 30 June 2008 20:00

The following serves to advise which operators/airlines have been certified for commercial operations, ie to carry passengers or property for remuneration or valuable consideration.

Commercial operations is defined by the Civil Aviation Regulations as follows:

A person shall be deemed to be engaged in providing commercial air transport to, from, in or over [Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada] if that person or agent of that person-

  1. has undertaken any form of advertising to carry passengers or property by aircraft to, from, in or over the above islands for remuneration or valuable consideration;
  2. offers verbally or otherwise to carry passengers or property by aircraft to, from, in or over the above islands for remuneration or valuable consideration;
  3. provides or advertises an arrangement for meals, lodging or travel, or any other "all-inclusive" method of pricing, for compensation, in which the travel by aircraft to, from, in or over the above islands is included at gratis or is compensated;
  4. carries passengers or property by aircraft to, from, in or over the above islands for remuneration or valuable consideration

Operators/Airlines in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

STATEOPERATOR/AIRLINE
Antigua & Barbuda LIAT (1974)
Carib Aviation
Caribbean Helicopters
St Lucia St Lucia Helicopters
St Vincent & The Grenadines Mustique Airways
SVGAir

The public should note that aside from the operators/airlines listed above, THERE ARE NO OTHER COMPANIES, ORGANISATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS, BASED IN THE OECS, WHO ARE APPROVED TO TRANSPORT PASSENGERS OR PROPERTY/CARGO FOR REMUNERATION OR VALUABLE CONSIDERATION.

Foreign Operators/Airlines

It would be prohibitive to list all the foreign operators/airlines here; however, as a general rule of thumb, the public can expect that all the major airlines have been properly certificated, for example, Caribbean Airlines, American Airlines, American Eagle, British Airways, etc. Should there be any doubt about a particular operator/airline the public is advised that they may contact the office of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) for information.

The public should note the following:

  1. Aircraft means either aeroplanes or helicopters
  2. Local operators/airlines whose names do not appear on the above list are not authorised by the ECCAA to transport passengers or cargo/property in exchange for remuneration or any kind of valuable consideration. This includes transportation where the passenger pays for the fuel or where the passenger does not pay for the flight, but the flight is included in an all inclusive package for a hotel or cruise ship or boat tour;
  3. Commercial operations involving single engine piston aircraft are prohibited in the OECS;
  4. It is understandable that persons would be enticed by un-certificated or improperly certificated illegal charterers because of their lower airfares, however, passengers should note the following before deciding to "take a chance" with an illegal charterer:
    1. There is very little safety oversight of illegal charterers by the Authorities because of the very nature of that business;
    2. As a result of reduced safety oversight, aircraft belonging to illegal charterers are generally not maintained to an acceptable standard;
    3. As a result of lower maintenance standards, accidents and incidents are more likely to occur with an illegal charterer;
    4. Should a passenger be involved in an accident or incident with an illegal charterer, they would not be covered by the charterer's insurance and therefore neither they nor their beneficiaries (in case of death) would receive compensation.

This information is provided as part of the ECCAA's mandate to ensure the safety of the travelling public and the above list will be updated as necessary.