July 2023 Employees of the Month: Airline agents bring sunshine to high school group’s rainy day
Rainy days and Mondays really can get you down, especially when they include a canceled flight home to Detroit from Miami after a 10-day service trip in the Dominican Republic with 11 high school students. That’s the situation Nancy Carapellotti and her fellow teacher found themselves in at Miami International Airport on Monday, June 19, when stormy local weather canceled their connecting flight.
The chaperones and their students were among thousands of passengers that day who had their flights either delayed or canceled due to one of South Florida’s infamous summer lightning storms. Even more concerning for Carapellotti and her co-worker were the anxious parents of their students, who wanted them home quickly and safely.
Though everyone on both sides of the ticket counter was tired and many were grumpy, we were fortunate enough to step up to Delna's workstation that evening.
Delna started her shift at 11 a.m. that Monday, but she refused to punch out until she had successfully rebooked Carapellotti and her group on another flight – a feat that kept her at MIA until well past 2 a.m. the next day. Delna’s co-workers, customer service agents Berline Garcon and Judeline Josamar, stayed with her until the very end to assist as well.
Delna spent two and a half hours on our rebooking, patiently searching flights and seeking out assistance from her manager until she miraculously secured us seats on two flights that got us all home to Detroit by dinner time on Tuesday. During those stressful hours, with incredibly long lines of weary travelers impatient to get out of the airport, Delna, Judeline, and Berline showed great patience and compassion to all their customers. They joked with the passengers and each other to help us still have fun and maintain pleasant demeanors all the while. For many customers and employees, those middle-of-the-night hours were frustrating, but for us, and these three women, the time was spent laughing together. We wanted to give a heartfelt shout-out to Delna, Judeline, and Berline, for making an enjoyable experience out of a difficult time. These women exemplify what customer service should be everywhere.
Because Delna, Judeline, and Berline brought some rays of customer service sunshine to a stormy day at MIA, they were selected as the airport’s July 2023 Employees of the Month.
To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language Interpreters, CART services and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) public meetings and events please email the ADA Office at ADAcoordinator@miami-airport.com or call the office in 305-876-7747 five days in advance to initiate your request. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).