A GLOBAL airline rating agency has given Bahamasair, the country’s national flag carrier, a two-star ranking due to inconsistent service and low quality staff support.
Skytrax World Airline Star Rating placed Bahamasair, with 21 other airlines, just one notch above North Korean airline, Air Koryo, which uses Soviet-era planes.
The cash-strapped Bahamian carrier also scored poorly in customer reviews on the Skytrax website, with an average of 2/10.
The airline got a 2/5 score in seat comfort and staff service, and a 1/5 score in value for money.
Of the 23 reviews posted on the website, only three passengers said they would recommend the airline to other passengers.
“Our return home was delayed for three days due to incompetence and failure to follow up on promises,” shared a disgruntled American passenger who identified himself as “Philip Underhill”.
“The flight was oversold and we were bumped off in Havana. There was no call for volunteers and no consideration of priority for those with connecting flights in Nassau or nowhere else to go in Havana.
“According to local staff, this had never happened before and they were completely unprepared to deal with it. We had very little cash left (because we thought we were about to leave) and as US credit cards don’t work in Cuba, we were pretty much stuck and were not even able to contact the other airline that was getting us home from Nassau.”
He continued: “To add insult to injury, the complaint process is absurd. After more than four months, Bahamasair eventually offered us a pittance for compensation in travel vouchers – which I am unlikely to use as I will not subject myself to their appalling service again.”
Another American passenger, ‘D Leak’ wrote: “The flight was five hours delayed without any explanation by the staff. In addition, the attitudes of the personnel was unbelievable, their apologies came only after it was mentioned that they did not apologise and when the flight finally was boarding they attempted to scold and belittle the passengers.”
“My flight was supposed to leave at 3.45pm it is now 9.30pm. I am still sitting in the airport with no idea when I will be leaving the Bahamas to get back to Florida. This is absolutely a nightmare. Never again will I travel with Bahamasair.”
The airline recently opted to replace its aging Dash 8-300 fleet with five new Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) planes as a part of recent a cost-cutting initiative to boost “frequency, reliability and cost efficiency”, according to its Chairman Valentine Grimes.
Skytrax World Airline Star Rating is the recognised global airline rating system that classifies airlines by the quality of their front-line product and staff service standards. The Star Ratings are recognised as a global benchmark of airline standards.
The Skytrax two-star Airline Rating includes airlines that are delivering a lower total quality performance, in some instances below the industry average across many rating categories.
A two-star Airline Rating signifies an inconsistent or lower quality of product and/or front-line staff service for the onboard and home base airport environments. The one-star Airline Rating - the worst - represents a poor quality of product delivered across the assessment sectors, combining with low and/or inconsistent standards of front-line staff service for the onboard and home base airport.
Other airlines with a two-star rating include: Iran Air, Air Italy, China United Airlines, Nepal Airlines and Bulgarian Air.
Comments
asiseeit 9 years, 3 months ago
Another result of a corrupt government system. If anyone is thinking of building a nation, The Bahamas is the poster child of how NOT to do it. How these politicians can look at themselves in the mirror and be happy and proud of is well beyond me.
Sickened 9 years, 3 months ago
Any proud Bahamians out there who would like to defend this worthless airline??
asiseeit 9 years, 3 months ago
Birdie will, after all her god, SLOP, started this drain on the public purse. She will say something stupid like 'they hire poor black people, so it must be good."
B_I_D___ 9 years, 3 months ago
Would you expect any better from a second rate nation run by corrupt governments?
TruePeople 9 years, 3 months ago
Not second rate buddy....... Second worst......
Economist 9 years, 3 months ago
The airline needs to be shut down. All it does is cost us over 30 million a year to get this result.
We don't need Bahamasair so why keep it?
BDN 9 years, 3 months ago
I completely agree. But then again. From what I've hear, you aren't a real country unless you have an national airline and national beer lol.
B_I_D___ 9 years, 3 months ago
Keep the beer...ditch the airline!!
DillyTree 9 years, 3 months ago
Does this really surprise anyone?
We need to get rid of this albatross and immense drain on the national purse. We already have other airlines owned by private entities who have proven they can service the out islands. Why not give them initial short-term subsidies to finance more planes to take over the Bahamasair role, then consign Bahamasair to the junk heap it belongs?
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 3 months ago
Did everyone miss the press release showing Brave signing for a 100 Million Dollar Loan for this piece of shit airline. It didn't say if there was a finders fee though. Maybe there wasn't one.
oggiedog1 9 years, 3 months ago
It's sad to see how we down our own in the world's eye. The National Flag carrier although it may have it's share of challenges has one of the best safety records ever. It is made up of Bahamians which is us. And it's not just this issue but many which involves Bahamians! There are deficiencies in every sector of this country and around the world. Yes there is room for great improvements at Bahamasair but it would take ONLY us to make it. Those who are employed with the company who can improve and make the company better. However it seems like we are just concerned about what we can get and not give. You shut the company down that means more persons on the unemployment line. Let us look for ways to build not tear down and throw away.
Trinix 9 years, 3 months ago
They and their rating can go to hell. I don't know how an airline with no crashes in their History, no hostile take overs and never had to turn around mid air because they found they had an issue with the plane, can be the 2nd worst. Bahamasair has one problem, they have a reputation for being late and that is because they check their planes thoroughly before take off. They take no chances no matter what rush we are in. So tell them and their ratings, go to hell!! What they rather, be late and safe or early to crash??
Pierrenormand 9 years, 3 months ago
Almost there...a little effort...and Bahamasair will win...the last place! I lived during years in your beautiful country. Sure I used Bahamasair...at the begining( or when no choice to out islands...) I experienced exactly what people describe. Yes,it is unpleasant, because of the total lack of informations and concern. I know a delay of...many hours is nothing special in The Bahamas...Is it compatible with an international touristic destination? No. So, we carefully avoided flying Bahamasair. Others companies were flying to US ,and even the worse were better than Bahamasair. This is very sad. But honestly I always wondered WHY the Bahamas wanted to have their own airline? Obviously,it is NOT in the local culture and possibilities. Why to waste so much money to get such results? And the funniest,since the 70' it continues!!!
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