Missing BWIA plane sold for $1

The multi-million dollar BWIA L1011 Tri Star aircraft that has been reported “missing” has in fact been sold — for $1 — and is now at the Military Museum in Chaguaramas. Newsday investigations revealed that the aircraft, which is  24 years old, began its flying career in 1980. It was sold to the Military Museum. The aircraft was dismantled and is to be re-assembled at the Museum’s Chaguaramas location. It now lies in pieces at the museum resembling remnants of a crashed airliner.

Had the aircraft been fully refurbished, airline sources said, to acceptable air-worthy condition, it would have cost in excess of a new aircraft, and no one was willing to purchase the old Tri Star which once flew across the Atlantic to London and Europe in its glory days. “The cost of keeping the plane flying would have been more than buying a new plane, so it was cannabalised and its parts went into the three other Tri Star aircraft which are all in OK condition,” the airline sources revealed. The airline sources said the behaviour of the BWIA worker’s union — the Aviation, Communication and Allied Workers’ Union (ACAWU) was ludicrous because if it really wanted to know where the so-called missing plane was all it had to was to ask. ACAWU has been claiming that the plane has disappeared.

The sale of the scrapped plane was concluded a few weeks ago and when it is reassembled it will be available for public viewing at its new home on the western peninsula. The national airline this year sold one of its Tri Stars to the Jordan-based- Star Air Ltd, another is at Piarco and is also expected to be purchased by Star Air Ltd.  The third Tri Star is parked in a desert in North America awaiting a buyer. The market value of these planes is very low, sources said. They had become inefficient to operate and were replaced by the modern Airbus and 737s. The aircraft sale is all part of the airline’s restructuring plan. The fleet now comprises six 737s and two Airbuses.

By next week Monday, the consultancy firm which was hired by Government — SH and E International Air Transport Consultancy — to monitor its operations, is scheduled to present a final report, which is expected to paint a much healthier picture of BWIA under the stewardship of Nelson Tom Yew, who took up the CEO’s job after the resignation last June of Conrad Aleong. SH and E International’s report will also determine if the merger between BWIA and Liat set for mid-year will take place.

It was only last month that Government gave BWIA a US$40 million lifeline. It was Government’s second injection of capital to the beleaguered airline. Airline sources said that apart from Tom Yew’s astute management style he also had the assistance of Government appointed BWIA Board directors deputy chairman Anthony Jacelon and Michael Small, to guide the airline out of turbulent financial weather. “There has been a noticeable improvement in BWIA’s balance sheet,” airline sources told Newsday yesterday. Tom Yew could not be contacted for comment yesterday.