Exodus still on

- Norman Grindley

Anxious passengers yesterday descended on American Airlines' check-in counter at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, having been stranded in the island since Tuesday, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cancelled all in-bound and out-bound U.S. flights following terrorist attacks on the country that day.

Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter

FOR many Jamaicans, going to the United States in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attack, it is not a question of "would you still go" but, "how soon can I go?"

Despite the attack on America, many Jamaicans would still accept a job there now, while many of those whose flights were cancelled as a result of the crisis have no qualms about returning to the U.S. as soon as possible.

According to representatives of both American Airlines and Air Jamaica, though many of their Jamaican passengers are aware of the situation in the United States, there has been no significant cancellations of reservations. But there have been many queries about how soon the flights to the United States will be back to normal.

In July, riots and violence in West Kingston sent hotel reservations plummeting as several overseas meeting and incentives groups who had booked accommodation in Jamaican hotels up to the year 2004, cancelled their bookings which cost the hotel industry millions of dollars in losses.

But, the results of a random survey on travel to the US carried out by The Sunday Gleaner last week, told a curious tale.

"Of course, it (America) is the best place to work right now. I love Jamaica, but you love Jamaica for nothing," says Marvel Allen, a security officer when asked if she would accept a job there right now.

"In Jamaica we still have greater fear, anywhere you go your life is in jeopardy, anyhow you fi dead, you will dead," she adds.

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