EDITOR, The Tribune.

Open Letter to The Hon I Chester Cooper, MP

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation

Dear Sir,

Recently, several members of my family travelled to George Town, Exuma, to attend a 95th birthday celebration for a member of our family. 

On Sunday, April 7, 2024, two of the party, myself included, had to return to Nassau due to other engagements. We were booked and ticketed on the Bahamasair 8:15am flight with confirmed seat assignments.

On arrival at the airport at 7.15am, we joined the line in front of the Bahamasair ticket counter. After standing in line for over five minutes with no movement, we enquired of passengers ahead of us as to what was going on as no one had been checked in.

The passengers ahead advised that they were hoping to get on the flight on a standby basis. On learning this, my relative and I moved to the ticket counter and presented our identification and tickets to the agent.

The agent refused to accept our tickets and check us on to the flight and would only bark out several times “You’re too late”.

We stood in front of the agent for over five minutes during which time she refused to speak to us or to offer alternative flight arrangements.

She then called forward two men from the standby line behind and proceeded to issue tickets to them and collect payment, one in cash and the other by credit card, all while we were standing right in front of her with paid tickets in hand.

Her parting comment, as she closed the counter, was that we could come back in the evening or the following morning and get in line for standby seats.

Even if we were a few minutes late getting to the counter, which I dispute, she  should have at least offered alternatives and information on any later flights with available seats.

My relative and I are both senior citizens and did not want to have to deal with a standby situation and we made it clear that we wanted to make an alternative confirmed booking on whatever flight was available.

We waited until the 8.15am flight had departed and then asked the other Bahamasair agent, Ms Clarke, if she could assist us with booking an alternative flight. She advised that she had to close the outgoing flight and would then come and assist.

Meantime, the first agent returned from clearing the previous passengers onto the flight, walked right past us without a word and shut the office door behind her, although we were clearly waiting for assistance. Obviously, she had no intention of helping us.

The second agent, on the other hand, was able to assist with booking us on another available flight and was very pleasant.

The level of apparent deliberate rudeness and complete disregard displayed by the first agent was unlike anything I have encountered in all my years of travel.

I am a Bahamian citizen and was appalled at the first agent’s behaviour, as were several others present who witnessed the entire exchange.

If I had been treated in that fashion as a tourist, I would never come back to The Bahamas and would advise my associates against it. After all, who in their right mind wants to pay for the privilege of being treated in such a fashion?

Whether this behaviour was due to a lack of training or a complete disregard for the paying public, we cannot allow this type of behaviour to continue in our tourist industry.

This particular agent, in my opinion, should be reprimanded for her extremely rude behaviour and she should give consideration as to whether the service industry is the right place for her “talents”.

Unfortunately, I recently read of a similar incident involving a tourist travelling in Eleuthera. We need to do better, and we can do better.

SUSAN E LAWRENCE

Nassau,

April 11, 2024.