Français
On Monday, April 27, the Mixed Commercial Court of Pointe-à-Pitre ordered the judicial liquidation of Air Antilles. This decision leaves 116 employees out in the cold. As for the Territorial Collectivity of Saint Martin, the majority shareholder with a 60% stake (with Edeis holding 40%) that invested over twenty million euros, it is left to foot the bill. It was not until three days later, on Thursday, April 30, that the president of the Collectivité, Louis Mussington, responded, first by posting a video online and then holding a press conference.
The official then stated that he had “always defended the interests of Air Antilles employees,” adding: “We believed in this project; we fought to the very end for Caribbean connectivity. It was a just cause; we had the ambition to develop partnerships with the other islands and a hub at Grand Case Airport. Today, the reality is bitter.”
“We had invested a great deal”
Then President Mussington remarked: “I regret the statements made by the DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and the technocrats in Paris who have a complete lack of understanding of the reality on the ground. ” According to the elected official, “it was imperative to work on connectivity and create additional routes.” He added: “There was potential to create jobs on the territory of Saint Martin. The Collectivité invested, and today there is a complete liquidation. It will be up to the administrator to pay the salaries and creditors. We had invested a great deal.” Nevertheless, Louis Mussington assures us: “Saint Martin will continue to carry out its investment plan. There will be positive results. All the projects currently underway will be completed this year or next year.”
During the press conference, he welcomed the proposals to take over the company that were presented to the Joint Commercial Court.
The first vice president of the Collectivité, Alain Richardson, expressed regret over the lack of support the project had received. “Despite the efforts, sacrifices, and travel, neither the Guadeloupe region, nor Martinique, nor the State, saw fit to support Saint Martin in giving Air Antilles a chance, even though there was a major issue of improving access for our communities and such public support is provided everywhere else,” he stated.
As for the airline’s passengers—at the very least those who had purchased a ticket before the company entered receivership and was subsequently liquidated—the reimbursement of their tickets is now in the hands of the liquidator.
