British Airways has cancelled three flights to Grenada after Maurice Bishop International Airport was downgraded due to a lack of firefighting foam for emergency response.
The cancellations, which run until October 21, came just as the carrier was resuming long-haul service to the island. One of the affected flights had been due to arrive on October 15, and passengers said they received notice only days before their travel date.
Grenada’s Aviation Minister, Dr Clarice Modeste-Curwen, confirmed the downgrading at a news conference, attributing the shortfall to shipping delays. She said foam held in storage had expired and that a fresh supply had been awaited for more than two months.
The disruption has drawn anger from affected travellers, several of whom told The New Today they faced significant financial losses. One passenger cited costs of GBP500 for repeat Covid-19 tests required for re-entry into Grenada once flights resume, along with GBP5,000 in lost rental income.
“It is only when war fighting in a country these things does happen,” one traveller told The New Today. “The Minister of Tourism saying Grenada is open for business but she did not check to see if the airport is ready for business.”
Dr Modeste-Curwen said the downgrade was voluntary and that the government was exploring ways to get passengers to Grenada while the situation was resolved. She noted the cancelled flight had carried a large number of bookings.
Other carriers serving Maurice Bishop International Airport, including Air Canada and JetBlue, continued scheduled operations despite the airport’s emergency response gaps.