The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

SOME Family Island routes may be dropped as the government considers placing more emphasis on tourism for Bahamasair.

The national airline has requested a $22 million subsidy, according to Minister of Works and Urban Development Philip Brave Davis, who said the company's average deficit is $21 million a year.

During a tour of facilities yesterday, Davis, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said that the government may demote some local routes to smaller carriers in an effort to focus on international gateways.

Mr Davis maintained that issues affecting employees will be prioritised as the government plots the airline's revitalisation as the "carrier of choice" among local and international markets.

"I'm aware that you have issues with labour, with contracts that have been expired for more than two years," he said.

"I know there are challenges with the fleet, the aging of the fleet."

Mr Davis added: "The support of staff will be more effective and efficient once we address the issues that affect them on the job as employees."

While the airline was never expected to be profitable, Mr Davis said there were ways to make the deficit more manageable. He added that the possibility of privatisation would need to be fully explored.

"We have to see what would be the benefit of privatisation," Mr Davis said.

"When Bahamasair was first conceived for the purpose of being the leader in the travel industry to create routes and destinations to the Bahamas, it was not anticipated that it would be what we call a cash cow for the Bahamian economy, but rather the forerunner to various routes internationally.

"So far as domestically, it was designed to ensure that there would be adequate transportation between the islands and it was thought then, and as I think has been the case, that some subsidy would be required for some of the far flung islands."