By Kiana Wilburg
After a “callous and inhumane” experience with the embattled Dynamic Airways, two
Attorney-at-Law Moses Rambarran (left) and his brother, entrepreneur, Rohan Rambarran
US-based Attorney-at-Law, Moses Rambarran and his brother, Rohan Rambarran, informed the media yesterday of the awful episode with the airline they claimed “treated its passengers like animals” and likened it to being the “Grinch who stole their Christmas.”
The Rambarrans at a press conference which was held at the Ocean View Hotel, Liliendaal yesterday, said that after enduring cancellations and many delays for days with Dynamic Airways, they were left with no other choice but to return home via Caribbean Airlines. They said that their initial plan was to travel with Caribbean Airlines but at the time they were booked up.
He said that he was told of Dynamic Airways from a travel agent. The lawyer said that he and his
Captain Gerry Gouveia
brother had no idea, the nightmare they were walking into.
In his remarks to the media, the attorney said that he felt hardworking Guyanese are being exploited for money and their human rights violated by the airline. “We must stand up together at all costs and challenge the exploiters,” he commented.
On that premise, he said that the federal lawsuit was filed on Monday in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York in his name as well as his brother’s. His attorney, Donald J. Schultz, subsequently served a copy of the suit on Dynamic Airways on Tuesday.
He sought to notify that any other passenger who is seeking compensation from the airline carrier can be joined to the law suit. He said that he can be contacted on his Face book page ( https://www.facebook.com/rambarranlawfirm )
Rambarran asserted that the final cost of the suit will be determined after all the interested passengers would have come forth to be joined in the process. He said, too, that damages are limited to US$6,800 per passenger and he and his brother have expended together almost US$3,000 for business class seats with the airline which seems to be plagued by delays
and inconvenience.“We were delayed because of the actions of the airline and we want to be compensated. There were people who had to sleep at the JFK airport, there were elderly persons in wheelchairs, and there were mothers and fathers with their children waiting for hours without answers from the airline. Not one person I spoke with was given proper accommodation…,” the lawyer recounted.
He described the experience to Kaieteur News as an awful ordeal and informed the members of the media that passengers were “treated like animals.”
He added that passengers were there and could not get a glass of water. “It was a heartbreaking sight to see people in wheelchairs lined up and treated like animals… We paid them to bring us home not treat us like animals. It’s cruel and inhuman treatment.”
“Airline companies have a duty to transport its passengers to their intended destinations without unreasonable delay or cancelations and if they fail to do so, the airline is responsible for the harms and losses to its passengers.
“Dynamic Airways failed to have planes available to transport its passengers to and from JFK and Cheddi Jagan International airports. As a result there were gross and unreasonable delays and outright cancellations after making its passengers wait in lines for inordinately long hours.
It had some returning to the JFK airport for up to four days without relief. Some slept at the airport. The airline finally canceled all flights on Christmas Eve at 2 am citing safety issues with the aircraft.
“We as every paid passenger were bursting with excitement to return to a family and a country that we love… but it appears that Dynamic Airways took our money and did not bring us home for the holidays, essentially stealing Christmas from thousands of Guyanese,” Rambarran expressed.
He said, too, that he later learned that Captain Gerry Gouveia is in charge of the Dynamic Airways operations in Guyana. The lawyer said that he heard Gouveia say that Dynamic Operations will not put people’s lives at risk by flying planes that need maintenance since safety is always priority.
But his message to Gouveia yesterday was, “If safety is priority, then secure safe planes first, then collect airfares… Instead, the facts appear to support that Gouveia and Dynamic Airways made it their “priority” to pocket millions of hard earned US dollars only to callously leave passengers stranded with no explanation… These actions by Gouveia and the airline are shameful. I urge all Guyanese never again to choose Dynamic Airways.”
Rambarran also lambasted the government for its silence on the airline’s treatment of Guyanese. After his experience with the airline, he said that he and his brother may be interested in getting into the airline business, to hopefully bring quality service to the people.
In the same breath, he noted, “There is need for legitimate airlines and we don’t need to start one to have that. We need to see a change in the policy to allow those international airlines to come to Guyana. There are reputable airlines flying all over the Caribbean except to Guyana. There are reasons why,” he concluded.
After being apprised of Rambarran’s comments, Gouveia said that the airline indeed experienced some technical difficulties with the 767 Dynamic plane and to relieve stranded passengers, a 737 was rented. He said that the 767 plane which is a Jumbo Jet experienced issues with the navigation computers. It was eventually fixed.
He added that he is only responsible for the ground handling work in Guyana for which he has a contract with the US-based carrier. He said, too, that he is surprised to learn that the airline is being sued.
“Dynamic Airways is sorry for the delays but as you can see the airline service all over the world is experiencing challenges. We are trying to overcome those difficulties but we always put the safety of the passengers first.”
source : kaieteurnewsonline.com
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