The Editor, Sir:

I was not aware that Air Jamaica was government-owned but it makes sense to me now. Seven months ago, I flew from Montego Bay to Antigua on Air Jamaica. While at the airport, the woman at the counter took my ticket and started checking me in. My bags were overweight so I had to readjust the suitcase. In the meantime, she served another person.

Out to lunch

After shifting the weight, I returned to her only for her to leave for lunch and had someone else deal with me. The new woman started by asking me for my ticket which, I told her, was on the counter by the computer. She checked and didn't find my ticket. My ticket was not electronic so, if lost, you are out the cash. I told the woman that I gave my ticket to an Air Jamaica personnel so if it's gone they owe me money or a new ticket.

Anyway, she got a manager who asked me if I had my ticket when I came to the counter. I said yes, I know I did and I gave it to the check-in lady. They called the woman and the manager asked her if she remembered taking my ticket and the woman replied she couldn't recall if she did or not. The manager then indicated to me the woman didn't say she remember taking my ticket, so they are not responsible.

Helpless

Automatically, I feel helpless and also feel as if the manager is looking at me as a con man, trying to con my way to a ticket. Here I am, coming all the way from Negril with all my bags, paying a taxi, of course, and you think I don't have a ticket to travel.

Thank God I was early, plus my flight was delayed because, after two hours, they tracked down the woman who was being served while I was adjusting my weight and found out that she had my ticket. The check-in woman had mistakenly given my ticket to her along with her travel documents.

A business should always do the right thing when dealing with customers. If your employee loses my ticket then the company should be held responsible but that was not the case on that day. Now I know that it's not a private business, which cares about image and customer service, it's just the Jamaican government. I'm not surprised because all Government agencies are run the same way.

I vowed that as long as I can avoid flying Air Jamaica, I will. I will not give that airline the privilege of collecting my money again nor the money of my friends and family. The Government should know that image and customer service is as important as money.

Even though my ticket was found and I did travel that day, I realised that the airline would have left me to fend for myself, even though their employee lost my ticket, which was valued over US$500, and, for that reason, I say never again to Air Jamaica.

HIGH ROLLERS

highrollersassoc@yahoo.com