Caribbean L 6 ife, OCTOBER 25-31, 2019 BQ
Guyanese gather to celebrate “Get to Know Guyana Day” at American Airlines
T-8, JFK Conference Center, from left: Senator Roxanne J. Persaud,
Claire Patterson-Monah, GCA, Abina Phillips, diversity advisory council
representative, Caribbean Employee Business Resource Group, American
Airlines, Consul General Barbara Athely, Lorraine Croft-Farnell, and Vanita
Jagnarain, customer service manager, Customer Care, American Airlines.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
AA celebrate JFKGeorgetown
By Tangerine Clarke
American Airlines (AA) rolled out a
welcome mat at JFK Terminal 8 conference
center, on Wednesday, Oct, 16
for travelers to enjoy, “Get to Know
Guyana Day” in preparation for the
carrier’s inaugural flight on Dec, 18
from New York’s JFK
International Airport,
to Georgetown’s Cheddi
Jagan International Airport.
The outbound flight
will depart JFK at 5:40
pm and arrives at CJIA
at midnight. The GEOJFK
outbound flight
will depart at 1 am and
arrives at JFK at 6 am,
daily.
The airline’s Caribbean
Employee Business
Resource Group, collaborated
with the Consulate
of Guyana to New York
and the Guyana Cultural
Association to woo passengers
to the airlines
new destination, during
a colorful showcase of
steel pan music, drumming,
dance, the singing
of “I love my Golden
David Lombard, manager,
Alliances, American
Airlines, addressing
the audience in Terminal
8 JFK Conference
Room at American
Airlines “Get to Know
Guyana Day” celebration.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
Arrowhead” by Courtney Noel, and
waving of Guyana’s flag, a taste of Guyanese
food, and presentations to highlight
the Republic’s characteristics.
David Lombard, manager, Alliances,
American Airlines Terminal 8, welcomed
Guyanese, noting that the airline
was excited about its new service
from JFK to Georgetown.
Lombard thanked the Caribbean
Resource Business Group, for planning
the event.
“When we wanted to do something
special for the Georgetown route, our
route
employees came together and planned
this event, with Vanita Jagnarain,
customer service manager, Customer
Care, taking the lead to execute the
“Get to Know Guyana Day event.”
“We wanted to know about the food,
the culture, recreational activities, and
the people of Guyana, so
that when we start the
service we could interact
with the people to
make their experience on
American Airlines very
special.”
“On behalf of the
10,000 employees in the
NY area, we are excited
to welcome you to Georgetown,”
said Lombard.
Managing Director,
American Airlines, Mike
McKanna, also thanked
guests for attending the
celebration, saying that
AA was excited to be flying
the new route, and
thanked employees, naming
Vanita Jagnarain, as
someone who played a
major role in planning
the event.
McKenna says the performers
were fantastic in
their presentations to showcase Guyana,
and spoke highly of his interaction
with Guyanese-born employee Narendra
Sawh, Manager, Administration,
who educated him about Guyana.
“Narendra Sawh, who grew up in
Guyana used his years at American
Airlines to help me learn about his
country, and the most visited Kaieteur
Falls that is four times as high
as Niagara Falls,” said McKanna who
quipped, that he looks forward to experiencing
a game of cricket, but not one
that last for several days.