The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The government should have given more than 24 hours' notice of its decision to re-open "the lifeline for the Family Islands" so that the private sector could be better prepared, aviation operators said yesterday.

Anthony K Hamilton, president of the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators, told Tribune Business that he was in the middle of making phone calls to obtain more details on the health-related protocols and procedures that will be required when the domestic aviation sector resumes inter-island flights on June 8.

Speaking after the government revealed that all forms of inter-island transportation within The Bahamas are being permitted to re-open following the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Hamilton said the aviation sector's return was likely to be "staggered" with not all airlines resuming operations on day one.

The Prime Minister's Office, though, announced that commercial airlines are "expected" to begin taking reservations, bookings and ticket sales as of today, Tuesday June 2, for flights that will restart next Monday. Pleasure craft and yachts will also be able to start travelling between Bahamian islands as part of efforts to reopen the economy and prepare for hurricane season.

The government is also seeking to cut the health-related bureaucracy/red tape that it previously put in place for inter-island travel in The Bahamas to prevent COVID-19's spread. Instead of having to visit a doctor, receive the health all-clear and obtain a travel permit, passengers travelling by plane, mailboat or ferry boat will simply have to complete travel and health forms when they check-in.

Mr Hamilton yesterday pledged that Bahamian commercial airline operators will "put our best foot forward" in the national interest given that the re-opening go-ahead has been received, but he voiced concerns that the lack of notice could undermine the prospects for a "uniform approach" to addressing pressing COVID-19 health-related concerns.

He revealed that the private sector had been seeking a meeting this week with the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority, the industry regulator, to ensure that operators and the necessary government agencies were all "aligned" on the necessary protocols that must be implemented to protect passenger, flight crew and worker safety. However, the re-opening has occurred before this meeting could take place.

"One of the things about this is communication because we've just found out about this today," Mr Hamilton said of the re-opening. "We have historically practiced a lack of communication; the silo experience."

He explained that Bahamian aviation operators had wanted "a uniform approach" that complied with the various requirements of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) before commercial flights resumed.

"All of these different silos need to be aligned for this to work properly and seamlessly," Mr Hamilton said. "We're talking about the quality of service that's offered to the passengers, and having the proper accountability in this process and the requisite resources to carry us through what we'll be required to deal with.

"While we were doing our best to be partners, the fact this challenge has been put on this doorstep makes it a very onerous process. The thing now is we're starting up, and what's going to escalate? The best thing is to mitigate that at the front end. That's our concern right now."

Mr Hamilton said aviation operators, in response to requests from the regulatory authorities, had submitted "general guidelines" on how the industry could mitigate COVID-19's threat last week but these had yet to be approved.

He voiced concern that the virus potentially exposed Bahamian airlines to "shared liability" risks should a passenger subsequently contract COVID-19 following a flight, as the operators had no control or authority over the airport terminals where they could just as easily be infected.

Mr Hamilton warned that the post-COVID-19 environment, which reduced airport terminal and seating capacity, "almost guarantees a delay in flights". And, with many airlines scheduling flights at the same time - especially in the early morning hours - he warned that enforcing in-terminal social distancing protocols will be key.

"These are very relevant matters to be dealt with for us to be successful in the re-opening without a doubt," Mr Hamilton said, adding that the implementation of COVID-19 protocols at Family Island airports represented an additional challenge for the authorities.

Reiterating that financial and "in-kind assistance" could be critical in determining how rapidly some aviation operators rebound, he added: "To-date, I don't know anybody not able to come back. But I'm not sure all operators will be ready to go on the recommended date coming forward.

"But the industry operators are committed to making the best of it. We'd rather have better inclusion and be consulted on the process. We're committed to trying to make the best of it. In the best interests of the nation we want to put our best foot forward, although we'd prefer better communication to make the process seamless."

Acknowledging that aviation links were critical to "jump start the economy" in the Family Islands, Mr Hamilton told Tribune Business: "That's their lifeline. It's bringing the lifeline for the Family Islands, no question about it. It's the most critical component for recovery in the Family Islands, the socio-economic lifeline."

The government said yesterday: "Airlines are working to ensure various protocols, including enhanced cleaning procedures for aircraft, and ensuring that all staff utilise masks/facial coverings (PPE). Travellers are reminded that they must wear masks/facial coverings. Operational procedures to ensure physical distancing on board the aircraft and during the boarding process will be implemented. Physical distancing will be enforced."

Describing the effort as "a work in progress", the government indicated that further adjustments could be made and encouraged travellers to arrive at the airport earlier for their flights due to the likelihood of delays.