The Tribune

• Says runway no longer safe due to asphalt break-up

• Aviation chief: Gov’t moving to ‘immediately remedy’

• Same concerns over ‘World War 2’ Andros runways

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A MAJOR Bahamian airline has suspended flights to Cat Island’s New Bight airport due to the “hazardous state” of a runway that has previously damaged aircraft and prevented yesterday’s scheduled take-off.

Western Air, in a widely-circulated notice posted to its Facebook page, said New Bight’s runway has “deteriorated” to such an extent that it is no longer safe for jet aircraft because multiple pieces of broken asphalt are in danger of being “ingested” by their engines.

The move, which comes amid a planned $18m overhaul of New Bight’s airport that includes runway upgrades, will - temporarily at least - threaten to undermine the flow of tourists, commerce and freight to Prime Minister Philip Davis KC’s constituency as well as impact travel for residents. It is unclear if any other airlines are set to follow Western Air’s lead, but the destination has previously struggled to attract major airlift.

In a notice to passengers, dated yesterday and headlined “Cat Island flight service suspended due to unsafe runway conditions, Western Air wrote that its Flight 401 - which was due to take-off from New Bight yesterday with passengers - was prevented from doing so by a runway that now features “large potholes, severely uneven surfaces and loose debris”.

The Bahamian carrier said: “Due to unsafe runway conditions, flights to and from New Bight, Cat Island have been temporarily suspended until adequate repair on the runway has been completed. While our flight crews have carefully navigated the rough conditions have carefully navigated the rough conditions of the New Bight runway for years, in recent days the New Bight runway has deteriorated to a hazardous state with large potholes, severely uneven surfaces and loose debris which can be ingested by jet engines.

“The runway in its current state is no longer suitable for the operation of jet aircrafts, such as the ERJ 145 which we operate, mainly due to the broken pieces of asphalt scattered on the runway. These conditions have already resulted in previous damage to an aircraft earlier this month and prevented the departure of today’s Flight 401 from Cat Island with passengers.”

Dr Kenneth Romer, the Government’s director of aviation, last night told Tribune Business by messaged reply that moves “to immediately remedy” the situation were afoot at the Airport Authority which owns New Bight airport.

“I am advised that comprehensive options to immediately remedy, mitigate and eliminate this situation are presently being mobilised,” he said. Dr Romer referred this newspaper to Peter Rutherford, the Airport Authority’s managing director, who did not reply to its message before press time last night.

In a posting on Western Air’s Facebook page, Ruby Russell Brown wrote: “I was on that flight today. I applaud the pilots on a job well done for bringing down the plane in such condition. It was as if we were in the movies in a race car ducking bullets. This is disgraceful. No aircraft should be allowed to land on that strip in such condition. We don’t have no medical facility to accommodate mishaps.”

Other postings agreed, one saying: “Better safe than sorry. Do what is best.” Western Air, meanwhile, acknowledging the “great inconvenience” its temporary suspension will cause tourists and local travellers alike, said: “Safety must be our first priority.

“We have been in continuous contact with representatives of the Airport Authority who have advised that they are working on a temporary solution for the runway. We are standing by ready to resume flights as soon as it is possible, as we are committed to fulfilling our daily flight schedule into Cat Island. Passengers are being contacted with options to reaccommodate or refund, and will be given updates.”

Western Air’s New Bight move came as multiple airlines voiced concern about the condition of the runways at key Andros airports, noting that some are “World War Two in origin and World War Two was a long time ago”.

Mannix Cargill, Western Air’s network administrator, told the Andros Business Outlook: “The Congo Town airport and the San Andros airport, which are the two airports we operate out of, I think they could use a major overhaul.

“It is difficult operating a larger aircraft on a short runway because now you have to work that aircraft a whole lot harder, landing and take-off. When you land, you have to apply the brakes and reverse throttle in order to stop.

“I don’t know if you have been to Congo Town recently, but it seems the runway is not smooth. There’s bumps along the way coming to take-off and land. Operating a jet aircraft, maintenance can be extremely costly if the runway is not in good condition.”

Mr Cargill was backed by Captain Stuart Hanley, owner and chief executive of Aztec Airways, who told the same conference: “I agree with everything he said. The runways are getting worn out. Some of these runways are World War II in origin and World War II was a long time ago. They do need some attention; the terminals something similar.”

The Andros-related concerns did not end there. Elizabeth Bain, of the Man- grove Cay Club, gave a description of that destination’s runway that was very similar to the conditions described by Western Air at New Bight.

“I do appreciate the awareness that we have issues with our runway. However, it’s not flooding,” Ms Bain said of Mangrove Cay’s airport. “The runway is deteriorating. There are holes in it. There are things growing up out of the holes. That creates wear and tear on an aircraft. In fact, I had a pilot tell me he will not land there again.

“We do a lot of our arrivals through private aircraft. A lot. I attribute that to the clientele we target in our business. It’s absolutely critical that we have the infrastructure support we need to operate. Without a runway, without Customs, which is another issue which we have been told is coming, coming, coming.

“We’ve been having that maybe for 20 years; it’s coming, coming, coming. We need Customs, we need a runway. The terminal is actually of lesser importance. That building, as long as there’s housing for Customs, that building is probably acceptable. It’s great it’s in the Budget.. What we need to know is how and when.”

Western Air’s decision to suspend flights to New Bight, and the concerns over Andros runways, highlight why the Government is urgently moving to upgrade, overhaul and transform airports throughout The Bahamas using private capital and partners. It simply does not have the means to finance itself the $263m needs of just 14 of the 29 airports it holds via the Airport Authority.

Dr Romer in May 2023 pledged that Cat Island was “going to get the whole hog” when it comes to airport, roads and utilities upgrades and investments. He added that the New Bight International Airport’s runway will be moved further south and extended in an $18m overhaul as part of the 14 Family Island airport private-public partnerships (PPPs).

Revealing that the proposed 12,000 square foot terminal facility will also get a new control tower, fire station and maintenance facilities, as well as a 102-space parking lot, he reiterated previous assertions that New Bight will become “the regional model and trend setter when it comes to sustainable airports”.

Dr Romer said: “Cat Island, you’re going to get, like mama says, you’re going to get the whole hog in Cat Island. It’s coming sooner rather than later. As we like to say in The Bahamas, it’s coming soon directly...... It’s for the future generations. Cat Island, for a long time, has been crying for airport infrastructure in Arthur’s Town and New Bight.”

However, he also acknowledged the poor condition of the existing runway. “We landed yesterday and I prayed for the plane,” Dr Romer revealed, adding that the improvements to both airports will address “the risk of breaking up those planes every time they land”.