Airport Airline Allied Workers Union President Frank Carter has hailed the Bahamas/Cuba air link a “success” following the airline’s inaugural flight to the island over the weekend.
Mr. Carter told the Guardian since 1995 he has been trying to get Bahamasair to fly to Havana, Cuba.
“I believe that this can be a profitable route for Bahamasair. Our peoples can become a lot closer. Cuba has a lot to offer, and we can certainly learn a lot from the Cubans,” Mr. Carter said, as he called on the government, Bahamasair’s board and its management to give the venture its full support.
He has also asked that his members do the same, as there were some mixed feelings about the Bahamas/Cuba destination among them.
“Some of my members don’t agree that we should come to Cuba at this time,” he said.
According to a well-placed source, a number of AAAWU members do not feel that the right equipment is in place and is of the opinion that the airline would not be able to sustain the route, as Bahamasair is already hard-pressed to service its Miami/Ft. Lauderdale destinations.
According to Bahamasair Sales and Marketing Manager Tyrone Sawyer, the new route will in no way disrupt flights to the already established destinations.
“With our existing fleets we have slotted in the times for the Havana service without disrupting the Nassau/Miami and Nassau/Ft. Lauderdale service.
“We need to position ourselves where we put on routes that give value added to our bottom line,” Mr. Sawyer said. “The Nassau/Havana route is such an opportunity because there is a high demand and there is one operator, so there is room for competition.”
Mr. Carter represents well over 500 persons at the airline, however he could not give an account as to how many of them were in opposition to the venture.
Bahamasair has partnered with CUBALINDA, a Bahamian based international business company offering vacation packages to Cuba. Every Friday and Sunday a Bahamasair 737 jet will service the routes. The round-trip flight from Nassau to Cuba is priced at $199 and from Grand Bahama the ticket is priced at $299.
Over the years, Bahamasair has suffered great losses, and has been plagued with financial difficulties.
Said Mr. Carter: “I have certainly said that airlines must fly its way out of losses. The only way in which airlines can become profitable, including Bahamasair, is to increase its profitable routes. Where we are not doing well, we have to find ways to improve and we have to develop new routes.”
He said one of the dilemmas for Bahamasair is finding the necessary capital to carry out the proper marketing.
“So I do hope this effort is all out, that we can’t have a start and stop. Too many times Bahamasair has started to develop routes and for one reason or the other they have pulled back or they just did not have the revenue or the financial resources to properly market the route.
“I think a lot of Bahamians are interested in Cuba. Certainly a lot of South Floridians, Cuban Americans included, are interested in coming to Cuba. Many have been coming through The Bahamas for many years on Cubana; Americans continue to use Mexico and Canadians ports to get to Cuba and I believe that more and more South Floridians and others will use New Providence, given that there are now two operators flying to Havana,” he explained.
By Keva Lightbourne, The Nassau Guardian
