Horrible experience with BWIA To the Editor
Guyana Chronicle
March 22, 2002

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I am in full agreement with Mr. Gaul for threatening to take legal action against BWIA. My reason is basically due to the fact that I have travelled with BWIA on four occasions and have become very displeased with their service and their unprofessional attitude and disrespect and inconsiderate treatment of Guyanese. Just recently (February 2002) I travelled to Guyana for a four-day visit and have had the unfortunate experience of being totally disgusted and upset at my flight delays which literally lasted for about eight hours through connecting flights but more unnerving and highly vexatious was the fact that there were at least eight flights going to and from Trinidad International Airport taking passengers to their destinations every five minutes.

No announcement was made to the Guyanese people. No direct apologies were made. I found it particularly upsetting that passengers had to "ask" BWIA personnel for a clue of what was going on and why we had to wait another five hours to go home when everyone else in the airport was flying off in a hurry. I was under the impression that a flight was never scheduled to take Guyanese home and that we were going to go home when it was a convenient time for BWIA.

They should be aware that Guyanese are becoming very intolerant of their treatment and that such treatment could have serious repercussions for relations between Guyana and other travellers of Caribbean countries as well as for their future business. I understand that Guyana does not have an international airline at present but that does not give BWIA the right to treat Guyanese passengers badly.

I admired the patience, tolerance and calmness in the way the Guyanese people handled themselves that day and even in that stressful situation as I quietly sat and thought to myself how proud I was to be Guyanese inspite of how upsetting that day was. I had a great time home and I look forward to going again....I think I'll try another aircraft this time.
Maureen Sukhu
University of Toronto