The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Attracting more airlift will be “squarely on the front board” for Exuma’s Chamber of Commerce, after the island was dealt a blow by Silver Airways’ seeming decision to cease service to it.

Pedro Rolle, the Exuma Chamber’s president, confirmed to Tribune Business that the airline had “pulled out” of serving Exuma from Fort Lauderdale, although he was unsure why.

Multiple aviation industry and Exuma resort sources had informed this newspaper that Silver Airways had decided to cease its direct flights from Florida into Exuma, with all impacted staff “paid off” with what was due to them.

Silver Airways could not be reached for comment over the weekend, but its website suggests just a service cutback - not a complete cessation.

The website says: “Service is seasonal to Governor’s Harbour and Great Exuma in the Bahamas.” It adds that Silver Airways, the former Gulfstream Airlines prior to being bought out of bankruptcy, will also resume daily flights to Bimini in February 2015.

Mr Rolle confirmed to Tribune Business that Exuma was first under the impression that Silver Airways was switching to a seasonal schedule, rather than a total pull-out.

“All I know is that they’ve pulled out,” he told this newspaper. “I know nothing of it, other than the information I have heard. It was initially going to be a seasonal thing. I’ve not spoken to any of their principals or managers to find out what the real reason is.”

The loss of any airlift, especially direct service, is a major blow to any Family Island, as it represents the access gateway to their second home and tourism markets.

The reduced seat supply could also increase ticket prices into Exuma on other airlines, such as American, which again does not bode well for attracting increased visitor numbers and investment.

Mr Rolle acknowledged that attracting airlift to Exuma was “a challenge”, and that the loss of any carrier made accessing the island more difficult.

Silver Airways’ direct lift from Fort Lauderdale was especially valuable, as it meant travellers avoided having to ‘layover ’in Nassau while waiting for an onward flight.

“It’s not an insurmountable blow, but it’s a blow,” Mr Rolle told Tribune Business of Silver Airways’ departure.

“I don’t know how to quantify it. We have people coming in from a number of places, fly into Florida, and from there right into Exuma.

“Even if it [Silver] accounts for 30 people a week, 50 people a week, that is still big to our economy. Those were typically the non-Sandals people, interacting directly with our local economy, so there’s a direct hit when they don’t come.”

Mr Rolle said Silver’s decision was likely to place airlift atop the Exuma Chamber of Commerce’s agenda once again.

“Among the options we have been discussing in our Chamber is how do we have additional airlift to Exuma?” the Exuma Chamber president told Tribune Business. “This puts it squarely on the front board again..

“How do we attract more airlift to Exuma? That’s got to be huge on our agenda. It’s going to be devastating if we lose the likes of American and Silver. If we lose them, it’s going to be very, very tough.”