This is not Jamaican!
published: Thursday | November 17, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

MOST FOREIGNERS would think that our motto is 'Jamaica no problem', but getting to Jamaica is becoming more of a problem; that is if you fly Air Jamaica. I remember the company's 'soaring to new heights' slogan and I actually believed it for some time. That time seems to be over and Air Jamaica may now be just another crab in the barrel crawling to new lows. This is reflected in its low market position and the company's abandonment of its strategy to be different.

It is now unclear if Air Jamaica really understood how much value travellers had seen in the airline. The company has turned its back on the time-honoured tradition to give us a taste of home before we actually get there. No more friendly faces, no more quality service, and, as if that was not bad enough, ackee and saltfish restrictions?

How are we expected to support our own when our own is not supporting us? Air Jamaica once stood for something, like champagne and celebration of our home. Now, the airline is just another, fighting fares to see how low the other can go. That is not Jamaican! How does a small country like ours have such strong name recognition across the world? I can assure you that it is not by being like everyone else, and Air Jamaica should know better.

I am, etc.,

COLIN WALKER

jamaicanidol@yahoo.com

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Via Go-Jamaica