By BARBARA WALKIN

Senior FN Reporter

barbara@nasguard.com

One lucky female passenger of the national flag carrier is thanking God and the early shift employees of Bahamasair for their unselfish assistance and 'proverbial' helping hands.

Fred Cooper, director of Bahamasair in the Northern Bahamas, had high praise for members of his staff who "went beyond the call of duty" Tuesday morning to aid Kathleen McKenzie.

"Shortly after 7:00 a.m. Tuesday I saw a small gathering of my staff members as well as others outside the domestic terminal," said Cooper, adding that a further check revealed that an elderly lady was laying on the ground in great pain.

The injured woman, McKenzie, had been a passenger on the morning flight, which arrived at 7:03. Cooper explained that she was wheeled from the aircraft by one of the porters, who took her into the baggage make-up area and left to look for her bags.

When the porter returned with her bags, he realized that she had been taken outside by someone who was meeting her, and when he went outside he met "the lady on the ground," Cooper said.

"What happened is, her daughter met the flight and wheeled her outside in the wheelchair," Cooper said. "When she got to the little ramp near the entrance to the domestic area, she came out of the wheelchair and started to walk towards the car and as she placed her foot on the ramp, she fell."

Noting that the lady had sustained a leg injury, Cooper added, "After I realized that she would have needed medical attention, I asked one of the staff members present to call the ambulance, which they did and the ambulance came shortly afterwards, and took her to the hospital."

Helen Barnett, assistant airport manager and training officer with Bahamasair, and Marsha Saunders, customer service agent, followed the injured passenger to the Accident and Emergency section of the Rand Memorial Hospital (RMH).

"I feel as though the staff responded, not because this was a Bahamasair passenger, but because it was someone that needed assistance," added Cooper. "So I thought they went above and beyond the call of duty, especially for those who went to the hospital and stayed with her. They should be commended highly."

Cooper plans to take the staff to lunch sometime next week, and although the accident was not the fault of Bahamasair, Cooper said McKenzie will receive a voucher for a round trip ticket for two to any Bahamasair destination.

"It is just a goodwill gesture as she is a frequent Bahamasair flyer," said Cooper.

Barnett said it was Sandra Pinder, Bahamasair customer service agent, who alerted her colleagues of the incident.

"We went out there to offer assistance and find out what happened," she added.

"We discovered that she was in a lot of pain. The ambulance came and Saunders and I followed her to the hospital."

Barnett noted that they were pleased to offer assistance to the elderly passenger and her daughter.

Appearing very emotional over the incident, Saunders said, "I took her as a mother, to see her there on the ground the way she was suffering ... I just remembered that I have a mother too."

UNSELFISH — Staff members of Bahamasair quickly came to the aid of one of their passengers, who was injured after falling in front of the domestic terminal Tuesday morning. Pictured from left to right are: Fred Cooper, director of Bahamasair Northern Bahamas; Clifton Simmons, Freeport Flight Service; Marsha Saunders, CSA; Helen Barnett, assistant airport manager; Larry Edgecombe, baggage supervisor; Sandra Pinder, CSA; and Gloria Archer, customer service supervisor. Seated is Maria Green, airport manager. (Staff photo by BARBARA WALKIN)