By RIEL MAJOR
Tribune Staff Reporter
rmajor@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday said blowback from the grounding of Sky Bahamas has negatively impacted the country’s tourism product especially service to the Family Islands.
He said: “I think that Sky Bahamas made some commitments to a number of passengers to fly to the Family Islands and because they’ve not been able to obtain their Air Operating Certificate they have been unable to meet those obligations to persons who had purchased tickets on their airline so we’ve definitely gotten some negative feedback from that.
“Persons certainly arriving from overseas trying to make a connection to Sky Bahamas and not finding the service in place I would be naturally frustrated so, yes, absolutely it has been impactful. Obviously, there are a number of airlines that service those routes and they are more than happy to take up that demand.”
He said it’s frustrating for customers having to fly with another airline.
Mr D’Aguilar added: “They have to buy a whole other ticket until they figure out how they’ll get refunded from Sky Bahamas so that has caused some vexation.”
Last week, Sky Bahamas CEO Captain Randy Butler told The Tribune he is fighting an uphill battle in an ongoing standoff with the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority.
In an interview at the time, Captain Butler further suggested the effects of this standoff have had a trickle-down effect, “creating more hardship on our team members, passengers, industry business partners and charities depending on our assistance each month”.
The airline has been grounded since July 8 over issues regarding its air operator certificate (AOC).
He further revealed that Sky Bahamas’ ticket counter at the Lynden Pindling International Airport also had to be shut down.
Last month, Mr D’Aguilar declined to intervene in this dispute.
Instead he urged Captain Butler to continue meeting with the BCAA and “work out” his differences.
On Monday, BCAA Director General Charles Beneby insisted the airline is not being “singled out” — as he underscored the Authority had nothing to do Sky Bahamas being “ordered out” of Lynden Pindling International Airport.
Mr Beneby was adamant the issues regarding Sky Bahamas not receiving its AOC are “not an act of sabotage” and said there is “no political consideration” at hand.
Instead, he noted the carrier has several outstanding requirements which need to be met.
Comments
TalRussell 5 years, 3 months ago
Is it just up me own head. We use describe comrades likes Dionisio James in not so sugary ways, yes, no ....
John 5 years, 3 months ago
Seems like the plug has been pulled on Sky Bahamas, for whatever reason, and it’s only a matter of cleaning up after the party. That’s how it go in this Bahamas.
mandela 5 years, 3 months ago
I think they have a h@$don for Mr. Butler, if there is a problem with his airline, they can simply state their legitimate concerns let Mr. Butler address them and move on, but then I guess when government entitizes speak about ease of doing business this is one of them (BCAA) showing us an example.
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 3 months ago
I once told a colleague complaining about their treatment vs others in similar situations or worse, that the employee handbook guidelines are for the people you don't like. Rules are there to say you have a right to use them. So when they are enforced, its almost futile to say but you didn't do that to so and so...because those are the rules. Relationships are the key "normally" to fair and decent treatment and navigating "subjective by the rules" punishment...., in the Bahamas? Who you know is taken to a whole other bizarro world level of importance.
The rules say this takes two months and you need ABC and alphabet soup before we could even start, what you complaining for? But if that's yuh good friend or the Minister, they'll have the whole office running overtime to get it out in two days. That's the Bahamas.
TheMadHatter 5 years, 3 months ago
Poor tourists. Ive never understood why even ONE single tourist visits this hell-hole. All this upset and confusion because nobody at BCAA is willing to reply to Mr Butler's emails nor registered mails because they fear their written words being brought before a Supreme Court justice.
ashley14 5 years, 3 months ago
Their starting to wonder. Although hanging out on the out islands are great.
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