BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, says the partial closure of the country’s airspace on Saturday was caused by a shortage of staff within the Air Navigation Services department.

In a statement, Gooding-Edghill said this had an impact on inbound and outbound flights for nearly eight hours, disrupting services at Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA).

He said that while afternoon flights from the United Kingdom – two each from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic – and the air-to-sea flights were all accommodated, a few others were affected.

He added that despite the disruption, one medivac flight was able to depart safely.

Normal operations at the airport  resumed around 2:30 p.m.(local time) following an urgent meeting involving representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport, the Ministry of the Public Service, the Barbados Workers’ Union, and the National Union of Public Workers.

The statement described the meeting as productive, noting that it addressed several outstanding issues affecting staff.

A follow-up meeting is scheduled for March 11.

The statement said the airport’s management is working with affected airlines to reschedule flights.