An upset US-based Guyanese has lambasted Travel Span after his flight to Guyana from New York was delayed for nearly 24 hours with no explanation or compensation from the airline.
After speaking with the disgruntled passenger on Wednesday, this newspaper spoke to Travel Span’s Marketing Manager Kadija Persaud via telephone. Stabroek News set up a meeting with Persaud for later that afternoon but at the appointed time was told the manager was in a meeting. Attempts to contact Persaud were again made yesterday to no avail.
Abel Caesar visited Stabroek News on Wednesday to share what he described as “a very depressing experience”.
He said his flight was scheduled to leave the John. F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport on Tuesday, January 15 at 12.30 pm, but was delayed until Wednesday, January 16 at 9 am.
According to Caesar, on his arrival at the JFK Airport he checked the status of his Travel Span flight and it said the flight would be delayed for a short period of time. When he again checked the status of the flight 15 minutes later, there was no information available.
Caesar said the airline should have more respect for its passengers.
He said he was stranded at JFK, along with a number of passengers who also lived too far from the airport to make their way home and back.
Attempts to contact the airline’s office were made on a number of occasions, Caesar said, but no staff was available to take his calls.
In addition to the long delay of the flight, he said, the airline made no effort to provide accommodation for the stranded passengers and he and others were forced to sleep at the airport.
According to Caesar, the only compensation he received from the airline was US$10.
The man said, his itinerary clearly stated that the flight would depart JFK and fly directly to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. However, it stopped twice – first in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and then in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Because of these stops, Caesar said, the usual five-hour flight lasted for 12 hours.
He further told Stabroek News that for the duration of the flight passengers were given no proper meals. All they received were chips and juice.
