Air Antilles: response from the Collectivité of Saint Martin

In a column addressed to the press on Monday, March 11, the opposition "Teams Gibbs 2022" questions the takeover project of the airline Air Antilles, ratified by the majority elected to the Territorial Council. In order to reestablish the truth, the Collectivité of Saint-Martin wishes to provide point-by-point answers.

The first question we asked ourselves was what your intention is. The answer is obvious in the title, which is about the only element that is not misleading in this "teamGibbs2022" column. It must therefore be read for what it is: a whiff of post-election bitterness referring to the past rather than a promise of the future for our territory. However, the future and the interest of the territory are precisely what motivated the Air Antilles recovery project supported by the COM of Saint-Martin.

First important point: without the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and the company CIPIM (EDEIS), the takeover of Air Antilles would have ended in compulsory liquidation, with two major consequences:

• The disappearance of a local airline and the dismissal of its staff;

• The end of all competition and therefore the monopoly of Air Caraïbes with the resulting price consequences for the inhabitants of the collectivité.

It is therefore with courage and responsibility that the collectivité and its partner CIPIM have done everything possible to save this activity and what it represents, namely an essential mode of transport for the French Caribbean and particularly the island of Saint-Martin.

You seem to be questioning the time taken to obtain the CTA (certificate that allows flights to resume). We have always been perfectly clear and transparent about the fact that obtaining the CTA was by definition a difficult path that had to be taken as quickly as possible, as soon as the transfer plan was approved.

We have always been clear that this was not a "walk in the park" but rather a meticulous and lengthy task that we had to entrepreneurship, especially given the disastrous management of the former shareholder.

It was therefore necessary not only to reassure the DGAC and all the air authorities but also to ensure that the aircraft could fly and were technically compliant with essential safety standards.

A significant amount of work has therefore been carried out by all of the company's teams, who have had to deal with technical problems linked to maintenance faults and numerous unforeseen events. We believe that instead of blaming these same teams and their managers for the deadlines, it would be better to congratulate them for their contribution and the rigour they have shown in monitoring the process, which is now coming to an end.

Rest assured, however, the Air Antilles company will be able to fly again very soon with optimal organization and safety conditions which have been appreciated and which will allow everyone to be able to travel.

You then raise the issue of what you call a "financial abyss". Your interpretation of the figures and elements is totally misleading. What you present as a waste is in reality an investment for the territory, its economic activity and its passengers. This investment will moreover be reimbursed due to the company's activity.

You criticize the fixed costs inherent to any airline, which continues to run while waiting to obtain the CTA. What did you want? A collective layoff? The burial of the only company able to offer competition to Air Caraïbes and therefore stop the soaring price of tickets?

Concerning the partnership with CIPIM (Edeis), the opposition pretends to discover what a partnership between the public and private sectors is. Airlines already exist in the form of SEMs (Air Tahiti, Air Calédonie). This partnership allows to benefit from the strength of the Collectivité for the financing of projects, and that of the private sector for its rigorous management and its capacity to develop.

The set-up has not changed since the first deliberations on the subject. It would be useful if the opposition did not need 6 months to become thoroughly acquainted with the subjects.

As early as September 2023, the Collectivité has stated loud and clear that there would be no political interference in the management of this company. The operational presence of a recognized professional operator is consistent with this desire.

The past 6 months have demonstrated the merits of this partnership. Criticizing an alliance that not only convinced the Court but is now convincing the civil aviation authorities is yet another demonstration of your intention: to sow confusion where, on the contrary, there should be unity on such a major public interest project for St Martin and its inhabitants.

You accuse us of abandoning our objective of controlled ticket prices. We confirm that it remains unchanged. Our wish is to find the balance point so that the price of tickets does not skyrocket due to a lack of competition without making all St Martin residents bear the cost.

The "teamGibbs 2022" seems to ignore this principle of responsibility once again. Just as it pretends to ignore the commitments made in the takeover offer concerning the acceptance of tickets purchased before the takeover of Air Antilles.

We have committed to declared receivables, to the extent that the aircraft would be able to fly on the dates already booked.

Just like the accusations made, the amount of the claim mentioned by the opposition is completely fanciful and absolutely does not concern admitted claims.

The opening up of the Saint Martinois requires taking strong and ambitious decisions. The Collectivité was not afraid to commit to saving this air service. It did so alongside the State, as demonstrated by the excellent discussions between President MUSSINGTON and the Elysée, Matignon, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Overseas Territories.

The very good cooperation between the Collectivité and the Prefecture, which Mr. GIBBS has never managed to put in place in 5 years, finally allows us to move forward with this ambitious and necessary issue for our fellow citizens.

Contrary to what the opposition says, President Louis MUSSINGTON has never refused dialogue on this project, which has always been held within the Territorial Council and in committee with the experts present. Your accusations thus clash with the total transparency that we wanted and that is owed to our fellow citizens.

With this platform, the Team Gibbs opposition is distancing itself from a collective that is nevertheless driven by the sole general interest. Everything in this platform is a matter of innuendo and insinuation, but know that the best response we can provide will be the upcoming rebirth of Air Antilles.

In conclusion , "TeamGibbs2022", spare us your stands and be like the people of St Martin: optimistic, responsible and courageous. Look to the future and renew your horizons! 2022 is no longer one.