Three employees of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, have been dismissed over the last two weeks for soliciting money from passengers and persons are being urged to report any misconduct by staff. The individuals dismissed were two ramp attendants and an airline security staff.
A release from the CJIA said the soliciting of money occurred while the three were on duty, adding that their dismissals were in keeping with the airport’s “zero-tolerance approach to any such act, which only serves to tarnish the reputation of the corporation and its stakeholders”.
Chief Executive Officer of CJIA Ramesh Ghir, according to the release, said that under CJIA’s rulebook, stealing and soliciting money from passengers are serious offences.
“It is my hope that others, who are tempted to bend the rules, will see that we mean business. CJIA will not condone such gross dishonesty,” he was quoted as saying.
It is against this backdrop, passengers are being urged to demand receipts for payments made at check-in, and encouraged to report all requests for money or bribery by staff of the airport.
The release added that further, passengers should also note that there is no additional charge for carrying frozen or cooked foods in their baggage, unless they are overweight.
“CJIA is advising passengers to report any misconduct of its staff to the supervisors or managers of the respective airlines or the Airport Duty Office (ADO) on telephone numbers 592-261-2261/600-7022,” it stated.
Meanwhile, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Airport Manager Carl Stuart commended CJIA’s management for taking such action. He was quoted in the CJIA release as saying, “Actually we support and respect any initiative put in place to improve the customer experience.”
He added that CAL has a strict policy for monetary transactions. There is a designated agent for that purpose, and signage advising passengers to collect receipts are visible.
Apart from the ticketing desk, the Departure Tax Office, Red Cap Porters and Secure Wrapping Service are the only other channels where money should be exchanged, the release said.
