I am not one to complain a lot, but its time I lodge a complaint about the changing nature of the airline industry in the Caribbean region.
Here I am sitting in seat 7E on Caribbean Airlines on my way to Georgetown Guyana from New York and I am thinking that as I sit in this Iron Bird with the slogan “The warmth of the islands” emblazed on its sides, there’s not much warmth going around these days as you head to the “islands”.
First of all, I have a serious problem with that slogan, or tag line or whatever you may want to call it in the advertising world. Something is wrong. Guyana as far as I know and Suriname to a lesser extent are perhaps Caribbean Airlines’ biggest money makers, yet the company does not cater for them with that slogan. Wake Up Call. Guyana and Suriname are not islands.
What is even more ironic is that Caribbean Airlines no longer serves several of the smaller destinations, so much for the islands.
Anyway back to me cramped up in seat 7E. Don’t worry folks, this is not Business Class, but I’m just 3 rows away from the magical blue curtain. Come on, you know the one; it’s the one they pull just after take-off to separate the immortals from the rest of us. Anyway, about an hour into the flight, the flight attendants, pleasant as usual, have announced its time for dinner. I wake up out of my dose. This is the moment many passengers have been waiting for. But hold up.
What is that on the menu? It’s a turkey and cheese sandwich made in Atlanta Georgia, along with all natural Potato Chips made in San Francisco and Cookies made in Connecticut.
Oh Oh, I almost forgot, the Mayonnaise is a product of Canada. At least the fruta juice is from Trinidad and Tobago. So that’s dinner. A collection of fine American cuisine on the airline that intends to share the warmth of the islands, they must be referring to those islands scattered across New York’s Hudson river.
There is something wrong with us here in the Caribbean, we talk a lot about embracing our own and supporting our own and many times the ones who are making those calls are the same ones who are doing otherwise.
Am I to believe that Caribbean Airlines cannot contract one proper food company or restaurant in the Caribbean or in the Caribbean American community to cater its meals and to provide that distinctive Caribbean taste, even if it comes in small portions with the plastic wrap and those little foil containers?
It seems as though the more money these airlines make, the cheaper they get. And so they look for the absolutely cheapest way out. And it’s a shame. BWIA was a whole lot different and that was British West Indian Airways.
We can’t be Caribbean and be selling everything else non Caribbean. Take a browse through the Caribbean Airlines duty free booklet of items available on board and you’ll be greeted with a wide variety of liquors, vodkas, campaigns and rums. Take a 2nd look, less that 10% of the offering comes from the Caribbean and you know there’s nothing like Caribbean rum or a Banks or Carib Beer.
Guyana’s 15 year old rum may be you only Caribbean choice but then again, Guyana is not an island. And the Caribbean is not short on rum and rum products as we all know. Again another big flaw.
But before I go on and on, let me take you quickly back to customer service in the New York area. You walk up to the check in clerk and it’s as if you are disturbing her from something. When I was checking in, I was pointed to a check in clerk at the end of the line. I asked “is it the one with her head on the desk lying?” I was greeted with a “yes”.
As I approached the young woman and greeted her with a Good Afternoon, her response was a “suck teeth” and a frown on her face. No Welcome to Caribbean Airlines, How are you today greeting. It’s a terse “Passport please”. I kid you not. And these are the people we first come into contact with when travelling on these airlines.
I must say though, in the Caribbean, the attitude and treatment is a whole lot different. And the attitude and treatment by the flight attendants is a whole lot different too. If anything, they provide the only warmth you’ll ever come into contact with.
I’m not going to complain about the price the airlines charge. I understand the nature of the business today.
I understand too their survival tactics, but come on don’t take us along for a ride that is Un Caribbean (if there is such a term) and one that will make you just want to hurry off the aircraft and get the service behind you. Anyway, that’s my few cramped up lines, the movie is on. For the next two hours, Ill have to watch some American cartoon about a boy and his dragon.
Second thoughts, I might as well bother the flight attendant…”Excuse me Ma’am, can I have a blanket please?” It’s getting a little cold.
PS. If you think my Caribbean Airlines experience was bad, wait till you hear about Air Jamaica, with their seats falling apart and Shirley Cookie and Sprite flights from Montego Bay to New York. Lord help us if these two merge. I can see the new slogan now. “Nah worry, You gon mek it”.
