Finding pride in the sky again

THE EDITOR: From its inaugural flight 15 years ago, I've been a loyal passenger of Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL). I've seen the airline go through changes, try new things, and fight the good fight.

CAL flew in the face of convention when other airlines were quick to curtail services, reduce legroom and “86" in-flight meals (I'm talking before the pandemic). It put customer experience ahead of negligible profits.

When other airlines made flying tantamount to an anxiety-riddled nightmare, CAL, at every touchpoint, seemed to have arms outstretched welcoming each passenger aboard.

Though determined, I thought the airline could not surprise passengers, especially as we battle a pandemic. Imagine my amazement when I saw Caribbean Beat's January/February 2022 issue. Talk about pure class! To borrow from the brand's new catchphrase, the cover is style REimagined.

You may wonder why I am gushing about an in-flight magazine. But this is another instance that proves how committed CAL is to the overall customer experience. Last year I flew to several destinations outside the CAL route map. On those airlines I noticed that the seat pockets in front of me were virtually empty. Where was the in-flight magazine? A bit of online digging revealed that most of these magazines of the top US airlines were permanently “grounded.”

Caribbean Airlines understands that not only does its in-flight publication has a captive audience, but it's keen on hearing the stories and experiences from the region's diverse voices.

Each issue of Caribbean Beat always offers something unexpected, and the January/February 2022 cover does just that. The flight attendant on the cover reflects the radiance and poise of our Caribbean people. No wonder why people all over the world are fascinated with us.

The combination of illustration and photography has skyrocketed the art direction into the big leagues. The stark white cover allows the reader’s eyes to land immediately on the tailored flight attendant's uniform. That much negative space is a bold choice. It's atypical but still has an intense island vibe; it shows that our Caribbean ingenuity is timeless and that we can reimagine ourselves to inspire future generations.

Keep up the excellent work, Caribbean Airlines, and I wish the team members success as they reset expectations for 2022.

JHODI M WEBSTER

via e-mail