Dear Editor,
I AM writing to discuss the outstanding service my husband and I have experienced on the Fly Jamaica airline during bi-annual trips to and from Guyana since the airline began international service to JFK. In all cases the staff have been exceptionally helpful on the phone, on the ground and in flight.

The food is of very high quality and the flight attendants are always friendly and helpful. In addition, the Guyanese owner, Captain Reece, has been unusually supportive of our mission to serve Guyanese people with disabilities.

Unfortunately, the recent apparently unilateral and somewhat inexplicable decision by the Cheddi Jagan renovation contractors to close the airport from 6PM to 6AM daily has severely disrupted air travel to and from Guyana. This is a disastrous turn of events for a country struggling to become an international eco-tourism destination, as well as for the many Guyanese who regularly travel from abroad to visit family members at home.

This decision puts all airline operators in the untenable position of having to change flight times and disregards the fact that extremely busy airports such as JFK simply cannot change jet way service or reservation desk space times on short notice, if at all.
At JFK for example, in 2016, 59 million passengers were served on nearly 100 different airlines from over 50 countries.

JFK is the busiest international gateway to the United States with flights taking off at the rate of more than 100 per hour at peak times. Given these facts, sudden forced changes in flight schedules present insurmountable barriers to maintaining excellent service.

Although our recent flight from Guyana to JFK was forced to leave nearly eight hours before its scheduled time, Fly Jamaica notified each passenger via email several times in the days prior to departure. Upon arrival in Kingston, the ground staff repeatedly apologised for the long lay over, gave each traveller a food voucher worth $10 US and offered advice such as moving the chairs closer together to facilitate more comfort during the long night.

Initially, two food vendors were open, but another vendor offering more healthy food options opened a short while later. Fly Jamaica staff members circulated among the passengers, offering assistance. In one instance, a staff member spent nearly an hour helping a woman comfort and quiet a crying toddler, staying with them until the child was asleep.

Having suffered through rising fares, increasingly restrictive luggage allowances, poor service and appalling food on other airlines serving Guyana, I am especially appreciative of the efforts that Fly Jamaica has made to offer high-quality travel experiences at very reasonable prices. I would strongly advise all travellers to Guyana who are seeking good value on a well-maintained and reliable airline to use Fly Jamaica.

Regards
Dr. Vivian J. Carlson