Guyana accuses American Airlines of snubbing prime ministers Rowley, Gonsalves

The Guyanese government on Wednesday criticised American Airlines for what it considered as “scant regard” and meted out to the prime ministers of Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to a media report, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for TT's Dr Keith Rowley and St Vincent's Dr Ralph Gonsalves to be allowed to check in through the VIP Lounge at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

The ministry said the two men were the latest high-level officials to fall victim to the airline’s policy.
Both men had attended the 2023 International Energy Conference and Expo and were en route to Miami for the 44th Caricom summit in Nassau, Bahamas when the supposed snub happened.

A release from Guyana’s Foreign Ministry said: “All government protocols were in place to facilitate their departure. Despite American Airlines having been written to, prior to the arrival of the Prime Ministers in Guyana, for them to be accorded the courtesies of check-in on departure from the VIP Lounge, the airline refused to acquiesce to the ministry’s request and insisted that the prime ministers leave the lounge to present themselves to the check-in counter. ”

The Foreign Ministry said its government will formally communicate its displeasure over the incident, which it said caused “embarrassment not only nationally, but also to our regional friends.”

The Foreign Ministry said its government had previously protested the airline’s position against its own high and senior government officials without success and AA has “continued to pay scant regard to the Government’s requests for entitlements to the positions held to be respected.”

Newsday contacted Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne on the issue. Browne acknowledged the request for information and promised to respond, but as at 7 pm on Wednesday he had not done so.