Air Jamaica’s flight attendants returned to work late Tuesday after a sickout that caused the airline to cancel several flights earlier in the day.
Eight Air Jamaica flights to North America and Curacao were cancelled during the industrial action when 38 flight attendants failed to show up for work.
The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) representing the airline’s workers had earlier given Air Jamaica until next week to begin talks for new wage contracts. Union president Kavan Gayle, was quoted by the Gleaner newspaper as saying efforts to negotiate with the company had been unsuccessful and the matter was referred to the labour ministry.
The island’s national carrier faces a crisis with an accumulated debt of about US1-billion.
Air Jamaica transports passengers to about 20 destinations throughout the Caribbean and in North America and Europe. It operates a fleet of more than 15 Airbus jets, including A-320s, A-321s, and wide-body A-340s.
The company extends its network through a code-sharing relationship with Air Canada, which allows the airlines to sell tickets on one another’s flights. The Jamaican government owns Air Jamaica, which was founded in 1966.
About Mark Lee
Mark Lee has been a long-time journalist writing, editing and producing in print, radio television and new media.