Where is My Bag?
Tue, Jan 9, '07
by MICHELLE MCDONALD
Back in the 1990s, when the WICB hierarchy made a bid for, and won, the rights to host the third biggest worldwide event, I bet all stakeholders thought that there was a lot of time and perhaps, if used wisely it would have been.
The year 2007 has finally come. Unfortunately, in true Caribbean laid back fashion, there is evidence that the major stakeholders have dragged their feet and not remedied the ills that we all knew existed before the bid went in.
In this article, I am specifically talking about the airlines, and this comes in the wake of me being stranded in Barbados while trying to get back to Grenada after a visit to Jamaica for the Christmas holidays.
January 1st 2007 saw the introduction of Caribbean Airlines, the replacement carrier for BWIA which served the Caribbean for 66 years. In the January/February 2007 edition of their inflight magazine Caribbean Beat, the message to readers talks about Caribbean Airlines being the best example of what an airline should be. It emphasizes the importance of treating the customer as being most important to their existence. It may be early days yet, but based on my experience last Monday, somehow I think it is going to be the 'same-old same-old'.
With the flight from Trinidad arriving into Jamaica late, it meant a late departure for St Maarten. I have heard that when the flight gets to St Maarten, it cannot leave until all the passengers have been processed. We were on the ground for more than 30 minutes. The flight was originally due to land in Barbados at 6:35pm. When we took off, the captain gave a revised estimate of 7:10pm. My connecting LIAT flight was for 8:10pm and even with that announcement, the thought of me not making the connection did not even cross my mind. I figured that LIAT might be running a few minutes behind schedule and it would give me time to clear immigration, get my bags, clear customs, walk over to the LIAT counter, check in, clear immigration and board the flight.
After having cleared Barbados immigration (remember that LIAT's system does not allow bags to be checked through from BWIA to my final destination, so I could not go through the intransit area), I was waiting for my bags when I heard the boarding call for LI 357. This was 7:30pm. The carousel had not started to move yet. I go to an Immigration Officer, explain the situation and she takes me to a gentleman in a neon jacket who instructs me to follow him. Off to Gate 9 we go...him at break-neck speed and me trying to keep up. He speaks with one of the agents at the desk, who speaks with another who then disappears.
I am not given any information as to what is happening, or what I should do next, so I ask. I am greeted with blank stares and I have to repeat my situation. One radio call later and I am told to get my bags and go to the LIAT counter. Perhaps if my bags were by now in the baggage hall I would have made the flight, but alas, one was missing.
The baggage hall agent makes calls on her radio and gives the baggage claim number. The response from the ramp agent was short and to the point. "Plane gone." There goes my clothes and things-Jamaican like spice bun, bulla and Solomon Gundy which my colleagues require me to bring back in order to be let back into Grenada!
The baggage agent tells me to make the report when I get to Grenada as that is my final destination. As my focus was on making the connection, I didn't realize at the time that that didn't make sense in light of the 'divorce'. A few callouses later, after pounding the pavement in my haste to get on the flight, I arrive at the LIAT counter. I interrupt the agent's service encounter to explain my situation, emphasizing that I was told to come around. The time was now approximately 7:50pm. She shakes her head and says "the flight is closed". That was like a death sentence for me, as I knew there were no later flights out, and I was scheduled to be at the one day match between Guyana and the Windwards on Tuesday. Bummer.
That was bad and bad enough, but the lack of urgency displayed by the agent really sent my blood levels through the roof. I explained to her again that I was told to come and check in. She paid me no mind. I interrupted her again, my voice going into a crescendo and increasing in volume. I even used the term 'buss my ass' to refer to the huffing and puffing I did to get from Customs to her. There was no sympathy. "It's not our fault that your flight was late."
She was right, but the customer does not wish to hear that. She suggested that I speak to the Caribbean Airlines agent. Before I left I said this. "We Caribbean people are accustomed to this, but I can't imagine the reaction of visitors from Australia or New Zealand coming for the World Cup who might will encounter this!" She was unmoved by my tirade.
At the BWIA Caribbean Airlines counter, I tell them I know they are going to tell me they are not responsible since I did not book the Barbados to Grenada sector through BWIA. You can't book LIAT. Only Caribbean Star. The Caribbean Airlines representative said that it was LIAT who changed their system. Is not Caribbean Airlines fault. I told her how difficult all of this makes travelling throughout the region...really stressful sometimes. She had in fact come to respond to my question to the ticket agent "what is going to happen to me tonight?" They were kind enough to put me up in a hotel close by, for which I am eternally grateful.
The baggage hall agent had by now returned to the counter and having asked her again about completing the form, she realized that she did need to do one. I assumed that my bag went on to Trinidad, however, when she said "if the bag is in Trinidad, it will come on the flight Tuesday morning." My bag could be in Kingston, she said.
I have some questions...
* How many other passengers will be stranded in countries they are not meant to be sleeping in during the World Cup?
* Why have we not used the lengthy time wisely to improve our systems and capacities so that we can deliver world class exceptional service to passengers?
* Why are LIAT and Caribbean Star only now talking about a possible merger?
* Why haven't we realized that in less than 60 days, we could be involved in the largest successful marketing and sales exercise that could result in returns on investment that our grandchildren would still be benefiting from, and therefore not 'buss our ass' to ensure the campaign is indeed successful?
* Why do the airlines not use compatible systems so that travel is easier for all throughout the region?
* Are the airlines only concerned about their obligation to transport the TOMS, and whatever happens to other travellers is insignificant?
* Do the airlines believe that travel around World Cup time will only be for cricket, and therefore that means they do not have to put on extra flights?
* Do the airlines have any indication of how much increased demand there will be, and therefore included this in their planning?
* How are the airlines planning to cope? News releases to this effect have been non-existent.
* What causes bags not to be taken off at the same destination as the passenger to whom they belong?
* Why was BW417 late on Monday 8 January 2007?
* Where is my bag?
We need some answers. I am going to attempt to book travel for the stories I will be doing out of Jamaica, St Kitts, Antigua and Grenada and will let you know how I get on travelling through the region for the long awaited World Cup.
For now, I am looking longingly at the hotel's pool, wondering if I will be allowed to swim 'sans appareil' or 'au naturel', since the bathing suit is wrapped around some glass bottles of Solomon Gundy in my 'lost' bag, all lonely and cold in a baggage hall somewhere in the Caribbean.
