The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMASAIR is working with Sandals Emerald Bay on a summer flight schedule to facilitate better airlift, its general manager revealed yesterday, telling Tribune Business the carrier had already made adjustments to its existing flights to accommodate passengers travelling out of Nassau.

Henry Woods told Tribune Business: "We are in discussions with the Sandals property in Exuma to see how Bahamasair could assist or accommodate more airlift to Exuma.

"What we have done to date is adjusted our schedule. We have made adjustments two days a week to our current schedule. We brought it forward by almost four hours to better accommodate passengers arriving into Nassau between 11.30am and 1pm. We are also now working with them on a summer schedule."

Mr Woods said he was unable to comment on the specifics of that arrangement as it was still being worked out.

He also offered little comment regarding Bahamasair's takeover of the Vision Airlines routes into Grand Bahama, telling Tribune Business that this was also still in the planning stages.

"We haven't really finalised anything yet," Mr Woods said, adding that he hoped to be able to speak publicly on the arrangement next week.

Bahamasair yesterday introduced a new Boeing 737-500 jet, and is expected to operate a full scheduled service between Grand Bahama and five US cities beginning in May 2012.

Vision Airlines began flights to Grand Bahama last November 11, providing direct non-stop service from five US cities. Its competitive low fares were expected to bring an additional 100,000 seats annually to Grand Bahama in its first phase of operations.

David Johnson, director-general of tourism, had previously told Tribune Business that Vision Airlines had not been performing up to expectations. He said the airline's service to Grand Bahama was operating at about 30 per cent load factors - far below the 65 per cent expectation.