By Kenneth Panton
Photography by David L. Taylor

Why wait till you arrive at your destination to start your vacation? With Air Jamaica’s famous First Class “Lovebird Service,” the pampering begins as you check-in at the airport. As you arrive at the counter, you are welcomed by the friendly smile of your attentive agent and treated to warmly efficient service. Your bags are tagged with first-class labels and will be the first bags to arrive at baggage claim at your final destination. With gracious well-wishes, you are directed to the first-class lounge where you can relax in comfort, enjoy complimentary beverages (including cocktails) and snacks. If you like, you can give your email a last-minute check as you relax.

When is time to board, you are invited by name and your in-flight experience is about to begin. The warmth of the Caribbean envelops you as you step into the cabin. The aircraft’s exterior and cabin is awash in vibrant accent colors that are contrasted by crisp white pillows on every seat. The flight attendants greet each passenger as they board, and welcome first-class passengers while attending to their every need.

Air Jamaica’s fleet of airplanes is one of the youngest and most modern in the airline industry. You won’t find any twenty-year old planes in this fleet, as the average age of Air Jamaica’s plane is a young three years. This means that we all can fly on the most modern aircraft in the world, from the wide body Airbus A340 to the fabulous single aisle A320. A host of amenities is available to guests in each service class, ensuring an enjoyable flight for everyone.

In first-class, first you are treated to a champagne beverage service. A great meal freshly prepared under the direction of Chef Louis Bailey follows shortly thereafter. Chef Bailey, the world’s only "flying chef" has set standards that are unparalleled in the industry including a preparation-to serving time of less than five hours to ensure that your meal is fresh. His elegantly-presented cuisine includes real island fare, such as shrimp and snapper over rice and beans, jerked flying fish, mahi mahi and fettuccini with ratatouille. All this comfort and pampering in the first-class cabin makes the flight seem unfairly brief.

Although it is well-known as the airline of Jamaica, Air Jamaica does so much more. They also serve other major Caribbean destinations such as Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Haiti, and St. Lucia. No other airline knows the Caribbean better than Air Jamaica. They have been named "Best Airline to the Caribbean" and have been awarded the "Five Star Diamond Award" for their service. Air Jamaica provides more nonstop flights from its North American gateways to the Caribbean than any other airline in the region, and with a code share agreement with Delta Air Lines, it makes traveling to the Caribbean even easier.

For more information visit Air Jamaica online, and start your vacation before you leave the ground.