Passenger's Log, Air 'Always Delayed'

04:15 am: Stunner's alarm goes off and after snoozing the alarm for 10 minutes I finally get up out of bed. hop in the shower, make some coffee, check and double checked, then it was off to the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

06:15 am: I arrived at NMIA, and was greeted by an everlasting check-in line that seemed to never end. So being the Stunner I am I stepped past than pathetic line. Well, no I'm no big shot at the Airport and no I can't afford Fist Class. The night before I decided to try the Air Jamaica Web-check-in, so I proceeded to the web check-in line which only had 3 persons it. While in the line I received a text message that the flight to Montego Bay was delayed by 1 hour. Yes, travel savvy Stunner signed up for light notification. One hour delay was no biggy, I was expecting that so it was off to the waiting lounge. My, my NMIA has certainly changed, escalator, elevator, conveyor belt! Wah, we have first world airport deh though!

08:30 am: The plane taxi's down to the runway and we were off to Montego bay to catch the connecting flight to New York! Stunner still has a smile on his face.

09:30 am: The plane arrives at Sangster International Airport and I'm sitting in the departure lounge waiting to board the next flight. An announcement rings out on the PA system, "...flight number 'now delayed again' will not be leaving until 11:00 am, Air 'Always late' apologizes for the inconvenience." by this time passengers have started to quarrel and bicker in true Jamaican, Air Jamaica passenger style. But not Stunner, I expected this, I just plug in my cell phone's headset and listed to some Fame FM and chatted on the phone to my friends.

11:00 am: Another announcement rings out, "... flight number 'delayed even more' will not be leaving until 4:30 pm, Air 'Always late' apologizes for the inconvenience." What the ra.., by now the tiredness has started to set in and I'm crossed nu ratid! Well, at least I wasn't the only one upset as several passengers started to voice their opinion about the dutty, tinking ... I mean Air Jamaica.

12:00 pm: Another announcement rings out, as Air Jamaica being bitten by its conscience decided to treat us to lunch. Well it was the least they could do for such an unreasonable delay. frankly I would prefer a half of my air fare back! But for this cash strapped airline, that would definitely be a resounding no. So we were off the the Sunset Jamaica Grande Sunset Beach Resort, 5 bus load of hungry, tried, frustrated passengers. I was really hoping it would be lunch and bed, but that too was just a dream, as I had to just settle for lunch. Well, wanting to get my money's worth stunner made full use of his day pass arm band. Lunch buffet style, I sampled a bit of every thing! All the meat, all the starch, all the vegetables. When i was done, it was back for the pastries, then the fruits. Nope, arm band nuh done yet, the bar was open and so was my appetite and off to the bar I went. By 2:oo pm Stunner was fast asleep on one of the chairs in the hotel's lounge area, gut full, back slumped down in the soft cushion, head phone in ears, one foot on my hand luggage (primarily for security reasons, lol), and a half glass of Amaretto Sour on the table.

03:00 pm: I was awakened by a fellow passenger, as the buses had arrived to transport us back to the airport to catch the 4:30 flight. After waiting about 15 minutes for the stray passengers who seemed to have forgotten about their flight and wondered off on the hotel's property, the bus finally rolled out.

04:00 pm: After circling the entire airport to get the liquor I purchased at NMIA I was in the departure lounge once again. Why did I have to circle the airport? Well as I had purchase liquor I had to leave it at customs before leaving the Sangsters Airport. When I arrived from the hotel, I had to check-in again, go through security, proceed to the waiting lounge, go through the gate, down the arrival ramp to customs, up back the arrival ramp in the opposite direction of the arriving passengers and finally back through the gate and to the departure lounge.

04:30 pm: I finally boarded the plane with my fingers crossed that there will be no more delays, as I have experienced a delay, before, of an hour while seated on the plane.

05:00 pm: The plane finally taxi's down to the runway and finally after a nine and a half hour delay, I was on my way to New York.

Now I really think I need to kick Air Jamaica to the curb and as Owen said, leave this "abusive relationship" and fly with another airline. Dutty, tinking,...