`If it `ain't broke...'

June 3, 2002

Dear Sir,

I have always believed in the old saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". It appears those persons who were responsible for the "reorganisation" of Customs and Immigration duties at the airport did not hold the same belief.

I had the opportunity to work with both agencies for quite a number of years, and was able to fully appreciate their work related problems, and how each agency complemented and interacted with the other.

It is no secret that at this time of the year we have a larger number of aircraft arriving at the peak period - between 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - but I never saw any passenger delayed for two hours as reported recently, and for one the most senior of the service to suggest that the large number of general aviation arrivals added to the delay, I mean hellooo - is there anyone at home.

Finally to all of the professional and dedicated staff at the airport in the "reorganised unit", I wish you all the best and some relief from all of the abuse in the media.

BILL NEARON

Pembroke

An airport `aberration'

June 8, 2002

Dear Sir,

I am a frequent visitor to Bermuda and eagerly look forward to visiting your beautiful Island.

On each visit, I always received a warm welcome and courteous attention from all who served me. Unfortunately, my recent entry on May 22, was an unwelcome exception.

My wife and I arrived on American Airlines Flight 686 at approximately 1 p.m. A number of flights had arrived around the same time so the arrival lounge was busy and immigration check-in was slow. It took an hour to clear immigration.

After patiently standing on line, we were moved by an official to the Bermuda residents line that had opened up. This line moved very slowly and we were the second last couple to clear immigration. The young immigration official remarked, "Where have you been," since the entire American flight passenger had cleared a half-hour earlier plus all of an Air Canada that came in after that. We put it down to being in the wrong line at the wrong time.

We cleared Customs without incident and my wife joined a very long line of visitors waiting for taxis. I went to the nearby bank and then joined the line and she stood by our luggage placed beside the kerb. After approximately forty five-minutes, I came to the head of the line.

At that moment the uniformed individual who was allocating taxis decided to move the line next to the kerb. As the line shuffled forward he proceeded to provide taxis for individuals behind me. I protested that I was next in line and, quite rudely, he said I would be given a taxi behind a man who was well behind me in line, stating that was my place. It was utter confusion.

Eventually we got a taxi. Two hours past and we were still at the airport. I was angry. The taxi driver, an elderly man, lifted the hatchback luggage door and, anxious to get going, I threw my golf bag into the luggage space.

In a threatening voice he told me to take the bag out and that he would load the luggage. At that point I said that I had about enough of Bermuda, to which he replied, "if that is how you feel, why don't you go back in the airport and catch the next plane back to the USA."

I was enraged and astonished by his response and told him I did not expect to be spoken to in that manner. To this he replied, "sounds like you look down on people like us," inferring that I look down on black people. That remark hurt me terribly because it is far from the truth. In silence we took his taxi to our destination for fear of never getting there.

It took us a few hours to get over this dreadful experience. It still angers me to think about, let alone write about it. During our stay I read several articles in The Royal Gazette about airport delays and taxi-driver unrest. Regardless of their grievances, they should keep one thing in mind, that without visitors, they will have much less than whatever they are now demanding.

Bermuda has become a very expensive paradise and the world is full of destinations that offer much better value. Bermuda cannot afford to treat its visitors with such disrespect.

After taking some time to reflect on our many Bermuda experiences, my wife and I regard this episode as an aberration.

We will return to Bermuda because on every other visit we have received nothing but genuine kindness and a friendly welcome.

DAVID PATERSON

Connecticut