Dear Editor,
Passengers of Fly Jamaica OJ275 out of JFK airport last Saturday went through a nightmare none of them ever wish to experience again. First of all the flight was pushed back from its original 12 noon departure to 5pm (on Fly Jamaica website) then to a further 9pm. But guess what? Passengers were being informed that they still must check in at the original check-in time at 9am and that they may not get on the flight if they wait to check in later. I was told by my travel agent that the airline only had the airport counter for three hours that morning and that was why they needed passengers to check in extra, extra early. So we arrived that morning to check in for a flight that would leave later that night.
After checking in we were advised to go back home and return to clear immigration at around 7pm. I’ve never heard of such a practice in my life.
Anyway, we went back home. And returned in the night. The nightmare was just beginning. 9pm passed. No flight departed. We still waited and waited at the gate. There was no Fly Jamaica aircraft in sight. And to add to passengers’ frustration there were no announcements. Shame on the staff. We sat there waiting hoping and praying to get out of NY and on to our destination. Countless international flights were checking in, boarding and leaving, and Fly Jamaica 275 could not. Shameful. Then around 10pm the plane arrived at the gate. Then it was announced boarding would be at 10:45. It was a lie. We waited and waited. 10:45 came and went. It was not until 11:30pm that they boarded. The flight didn’t leave until around 1am Sunday. Why? You mean to tell me after all the horror Dynamic Airways put us through, this so called Guyana flag carrier is doing the same? This airline has been having tremendous issues in recent months.
Days before Christmas it was also a nightmare. Why aren’t these issues and specific cases not highlighted in the media? I am terrified at what might happen on my return flight. These airlines in Guyana are ripping people off. They have no compensation for travellers. No courtesy too. I have made a promise to never ever book again with Fly Jamaica. I would rather fly with JetBlue to Trinidad and then take Caribbean Airlines from there or pay the large amount CAL is asking for. It is a sin what Fly Jamaica did to us and others too in Toronto last week and last weekend. The staff is unprofessional at JFK. If you want information you have to beg. Nobody is saying anything. Other airlines do not treat their customers this way. Fly Jamaica must be made to publicly apologize and explain their malfunction and poor treatment of passengers last weekend. There must not be recurrences, but we all know it will happen again.
Then it was one big confusion because after boarding passengers were running out of space to put carry-ons in overhead bins. They were all filled. It was disorderly and many passengers used bins that were not above their assigned seats to place their luggage. That was most shameful.
There will be a smooth period and then it will happen again. There is no end in sight to the travel woes of poor Guyanese.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Suseran
