Air France Diversion

Does anyone know why scheduled Air France #498 to arrive in SXM proceeded to Guadeloupe instead? Just curious.

Maybe this is why.
https://www.facebook.com/721news/videos/728072691343196

is this link at PJIA? Noticed no-one wearing face masks.

There was a flight plan for AF 498 to leave PTP at 2:33 pm and land at SXM at 2:53, however, that flight was cancelled.

Yes.

Try and find a mask here.
https://www.facebook.com/ginette.godin.56/videos/3083828558368392

OK, guys, not every post has to be about Covid. Please stay on topic.

I had difficulty understanding but I think one gentleman said another meeting is scheduled for Friday and that workers agreed to work Thursday and possibly Friday but if they don't get satisfaction they plan to close the airport until they do.

I couldn't understand anything being said or shouted. What are they protesting against? What are their demands?

Thanks Scubaman I think you nailed it. Turns out to be a bigger story than a plane diversion. When I was watching AF498 approach to SXM it would turn south and then west and repeat. So I said to my wife I think Air France has a new pilot on board and he's lost. LOL. Will follow this story on The Herald.
And to all my fellow Canadian SXM lovers. Happy Canada Day

I think airport workers have not been paid since Irma so they're refusing to work until that is settled.

There were two videos. First I didn't understand at all. Second one had a lady claiming to speak for all and I understood little except "we all have mouths to feed..." Near end of that video a gentleman came forward and spoke to someone off camera and said something like if the people don't get paid they will not work. He said airport will open Thursday but close again if the meeting on Friday is not satisfactory to the workers and stay closed until payments are made.

I find it extremely hard to believe that they haven't been paid since Irma, since the airport has been operational for well over a year since then. Heck, we've been back twice since Irma. There must be another explanation. Perhaps there's some back pay they're due for the times when the airport's been closed?

Agreed, there is no WAY the airport workers have not been paid since Irma. The Dutch have demanded salary reductions for a bunch of SXM government workers in exchange for the latest amount of aid, so that is probably it.

DAILY HERALD ARTICLE

The airport could be the tip of the iceberg for entities on island strapped for operating cash.

Looks like someone might have to find some dough to pay these folks.

Back pay is the problem since Irma.

My personal guess is that most entities on the island are strapped for cash at this point. Not sure how one finds "dough to pay these folks" when there has been no dough coming in for 4 months.

Lesley--so what are we talking here? Were they not paid at all for months, did they get less pay? For some reason, I haven't heard about this before.

Thanks Leslie for confirming I did understand that video correctly.

And they KNOW that they owe them money....

You can't expect people to continue working for free.

Planes can't land without the fire brigage.

"back pay due starting from 2017 – their main grievance – as well as other allowances and benefits such as bonuses, vacation pay, incremental salary increases, and cost of living adjustments (COLAs).

Management does not deny that the back pay is long overdue, and had been promised,?

Again, how MUCH back pay? I really doubt they have been paid NOTHING since Irma. That makes no sense. Nobody does that, works for 2.5 years with no pay. That's silly.

Air France #498 finally arrived.

The daily herald referred to it as a cargo flight, so I am assuming no passengers.

If you look at this information, the flight was definitely a PASSENGER FLIGHT. No matter what the DH says,

https://air-france.flight-status.info/

It was definitely a "passenger plane" but could have only had cargo on it and no passengers.

I believe it came in no passengers but was repatriation flight going back to France.