CAL losing money due to poor service

THE EDITOR: It is no surprise that Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) is losing money.

I write to indicate an experience that I encountered with a CAL desk attendant on June 11. I arrived at the airport at 5 am for a 9 am flight to Miami. While checking in I enquired if I could pay to upgrade to business class as I was a registered Club Caribbean member.

I was directed to the international ticket payment counter. There I met two desk attendants attending to a family of four who were trying to pay for a Tobago flight. The wait was long as the family was unable to make up their mind about which flight to take.

I went up to the attendant on the international desk and enquired if she was international? I was met with a hostile answer that she was also looking after the Tobago family, and I said, but “is this not international?” That seemed to trigger her anger and she told me in no uncertain language that they were there first.

I stepped back.

When she called me she made sure to state that the upgrade to Miami was $3,000. To which I replied, “But there are nine empty seats in business." I do feel that I was deliberately punished and realised that I should not have asked questions about what was international?

I did not pay it as the upgrade was usually $1,600 with taxes.

I do hope CAL could acquire some service-oriented attendants.

DR FUAD KHAN

via e-mail