The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE 

AND KEILE CAMPBELL 

Tribune Staff Reporters

HUNDREDS of Bahamians and tourists had their travel plans disrupted yesterday when Bahamasair cancelled most of its flights after 75 percent of its flight attendants called in sick and refused to report for duty.

The unexpected sick-out, reportedly over alleged outstanding pay, produced long lines of frustrated

passengers at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) and other airports.

Bahamasair managing director Tracy Cooper called the action illegal during an emergency press conference, urging staff to return to work.

He said 12 of 16 flight attendants, ramp workers, and customer service reps called in sick, forcing the cancellation of dozens of domestic and international flights.

The workers are expected to return today after the airline secured a Supreme Court interim injunction against the Airport, Airline and Allied Workers Union (AAAWU), ordering Bahamasair staff to report to work “when scheduled to do so”.

The order prohibits staff from participating in any strike or industrial action, inciting or intimidating others not to attend work, leaving their workplace when scheduled to be there or taking sick leave without a valid medical certificate.

A hearing on the application is scheduled for next month.

Many passengers were left scrambling for answers and alternatives yesterday.

Peter, a tourist from Germany travelling with his partner, Jennifer, voiced frustration after hours of waiting with little to no communication from the airline.

“We were sitting around for hours with no information forthcoming,” he told The Tribune. “They finally said it was cancelled, but we’d already seen the news.

Jennifer added: “We found out from the media before we heard anything from Bahamasair.”

Peter emphasised the broader inconvenience caused by the cancellations, saying their plans were tightly linked to a connection to Costa Rica.

“This is no small thing to just cancel a flight like that. We now have to think about rescheduling or even canceling other flights,” he said.

For Bree, a local passenger, the sickout carried a deeply personal impact as she struggled to return home to her son after a week away.

“I’ve been trying to get home from Monday. I don’t have transportation or a place to stay, and this is very discouraging,” she shared, visibly emotional. “Trying to get home to my son, and this is the experience I’m having. It’s major obstacle.”

Another local passenger expressed their frustration over the lack of preparation, saying: “If you got time, fly Bahamasair. If you don’t, don’t even bother because they’re going to screw you. This happens every year. Pay your people and stop ruining customers’ holidays."

Some students from the Family Islands were left heartbroken by the flight cancellations, unable to attend the national arts festival last night.

Parents expressed frustration, saying they lost hundreds of dollars while students missed the chance to present their artistic pieces.

Mr Cooper said the sick-out reduced the airline’s usual 24 daily flights to only four or five as of yesterday morning.

AAAWU representatives could not be reached for comment up to press time yesterday.

Chief labour consultant Bernard Evans said he could not confirm whether employees would face legal consequences but hoped they would not.

Mr Cooper expressed frustration at the timing of the action.

“It is again one of the reasons why we’re surprised because we know that the union and our members understand that this is peak time for the airline, and that there are a lot of persons that would be inconvenienced by a stunt like this, and therefore we’re surprised and we didn’t think this would occur,” he said.

Mr Cooper indicated that customers would not be penalised for the airline’s decisions. He said any usual fees or penalties would be waived and assured that the airline would contact the passengers involved to offer assistance.

He added that Bahamasair would do its best to restore smooth operations and explore ways to recover from the disruption.

The dispute between the airline and its staff stems from payment disagreements linked to an industrial agreement covering July 2018 to 2023.

The five-year contract included an 11.5 percent salary increase, four salary increments annually, except for 2022, and a lump-sum COVID-19 payment for 2022.

Mr Cooper said Bahamasair complied with the agreement, including implementing an accelerated payment scheme requested by the AAAWU to ensure all payments were completed by the contract’s termination in 2023.

Approximately $1.8m in retroactive payments was made over the seven months, the managing director said.

He said at the conclusion of the final payment in July 2023, the matter concerning salary percentages and increments was considered resolved.

However, in September 2023, following a change in union leadership, the AAAWU claimed some increments were still owed and demanded six additional increments with back pay.

He said Bahamasair does not agree with this stance. According to the company, meeting the request would mean revisiting an existing contract that already included an 11.5 percent salary increase and five increments.

Mr Cooper described the demand as “unheard of”, particularly considering that the agreement covered three years affected by COVID- 19, one of the airline’s most challenging periods.

Mr Cooper said the Department of Labour was asked to intervene, but despite Bahamasair offering a new proposal for two additional increments effective February 2025, no resolution has been reached.

He said Bahamasair planned to take the matter to the Industrial Tribunal and abide by its conclusions.

However, he claimed the AAAWU did not respond and instead chose to undertake what he described as an illegal and unwarranted industrial action.

The disruption comes as Bahamasair also grapples with aircraft shortages. Two ATR planes remain grounded due to mechanical issues, while another plane stranded in West Palm Beach due to a blown tire was expected to return to service this week.