REDJET’s CUSTOMERS who have booked flights from Guyana to Barbados have been complaining over the past few weeks about “unannounced” changes in schedules, which are leaving them stranded.
The angry passengers have been calling and visiting THE NATION to complain about what they call unfair practices by the airline.
They have reported that when family members get to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana they are being told that they have missed their flights, having not received any notice of the changes in schedule, despite providing the airline with telephone numbers.
Orin Bourne, a Guyanese national, told the DAILY NATION he purchased a ticket for four members of his family to come to Barbados last Friday for the Rihanna LOUD concert, but when they got to the airport they were told they could not get on the flight.
Their flight was originally scheduled to leave at 1:40 p.m. Friday, but when they arrived at the airport at just before 9 a.m. they were told the plane would be leaving at 10 a.m. and therefore they could not board.
“My family were coming in for the Rihanna show because we already purchased tickets for the show too. (Friday morning) I learnt that when they were going to the airport the flight was leaving at 10 o’clock, but I was not called and told anything so,” he complained.
“When I booked the flight . . . they asked me for an email address and I said I didn’t have one, I have a cellphone, and that [number] was given.
“They did not call and let us know the flight changed to an earlier time.”
Maureen Vantull had a similar complaint. She said she purchased two tickets for her sons to visit Barbados on July 15 but when they reached the airport about 9:30 a.m. to check in for the flight, which was originally scheduled to depart at 1:40 p.m., they were told they were too late since the flight was leaving at 10 a.m. instead.
Vantull said they were forced to fly with LIAT, costing them US$431 more than they would have paid to travel on REDjet earlier. She said neither she nor her husband received a call to inform them of the change in the flight schedule.
She said since then she had been trying repeatedly to get a flight back to Guyana but had been dissatisfied with the response.
“I called REDjet then to confirm the departure time and the agent . . . told me that for them to leave Barbados I would have to pay $419.12 for them to leave on REDjet. But I already bought a two-way ticket,” she said.
“The agent in Guyana is saying one thing and the one in Barbados saying something else. They say if I rebook I would have to pay again, the same full fare. What if I don’t have the 400 and something dollars for them to leave? What will happen? I already paid,” she said.
However, when contacted, a REDjet representative would only say: “In order to be on the flight they need to be there at least one hour before the departure and if they miss the flight coming in on Monday, for example, they can come in on the Wednesday flight.” (MM)
