ST JAMES, Jamaica — Kalina Collier, the JetBlue employee who faked her kidnapping while staying in Jamaica, has been suspended by the airline which is now conducting a probe into the incident.

“The crew member has been suspended while the investigation takes place. We deeply apologise to the people of Jamaica and the Jamaican government for the concern and frustration this incident has caused,” a statement from JetBlue over the signature of their manager corporate communications, Derek Dombriowski JetBlue Airways stated.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Tourism, JetBlue’s chief executive officer, Robin Hayes has also reached out to Minister Edmund Bartlett to express his regret at the incident.

“JetBlue’s CEO, Robin Hayes called Minister Bartlett today and personally apologised to the Government of Jamaica, the prime minister, the people of Jamaica for what has transpired and he of course reiterated JetBlue’s commitment to Jamaica and its close bonds to the people of Jamaica,” Delano Seiveright, senior strategist and advisor in the Ministry of Tourism told OBSERVER ONLINE.

“Minister Bartlett thanked him for the call and reiterated some of the issue at hand and we look forward to continuing to discuss this situation with JetBlue,” Seiveright added.

Collier’s claims have been described as a trick by the American to avoid quarantine, after testing positive for COVID-19.

The claim, initially made by Collier on social media, garnered support from numerous individuals abroad who called for a boycott of Jamaica after the young woman claimed that she was being held against her will.

Bartlett, in an earlier statement, pointed out that Collier, a JetBlue Airways stewardess, arrived on the island in January and was scheduled to depart on February 1, 2021. But in preparation for her departure, she tested positive twice for COVID-19 “and was not abducted but being quarantined in her hotel for 14 days, which is in keeping with internationally accepted COVID-19 protocols”.

Read: US airline worker who faked kidnapping leaves MoBay

Horace Hines