After a month of scheduled twice-weekly flights to Havana, Cuba, the national flag carrier, Bahamasair, has suspended all flights to that island after discovering that information was withheld by Scan America, a company which gave the airline approval to operate flights into Cuba. The service was stopped on Dec. 27.
Minister of Public Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts disclosed on Monday that Bahamasair has the option of resuming the route, but must now apply through the proper channels.
“When the Board of Bahamasair requested permission to fly to Cuba it did so on the basis of Scan America having entered into an arrangement with Bahamasair to provide charter flights to Cuba,” Mr. Roberts said.
He said Bahamasair found out after it initiated the programme that Scan America was not open in disclosing its true intent.
“It was Bahamasair’s understanding that Scan America was going after European tourists coming to The Bahamas and tourists from Canada. But it appeared in the end by references made by them that they were in fact after promoting the flights of Americans to Cuba via The Bahamas,” Minister Roberts explained.
The Minister of Transport gave permission for one month as an exploratory chartered licence for Bahamasair to travel to Cuba.
“The 30 days came and went, but Bahamasair had apparently initiated a programme on its own without seeking permission from the Air Transport Licensing Authority. They now have to go through the proper process as it is mandated law and hopefully they would be able to get through that process and maybe in the future they will resume working as initially launched,” the minister said.
“I think that the Air Transport Licensing Authority will look with favour upon them,” he said.
Questioned as to the estimated losses the airline suffered, Minister Roberts said: “I don’t believe so. In the initial launching of any service there are some expenditures, but that is the part of doing business.
“But as regard to what losses I would have to confer with management.
Bahamasair’s inaugural flight to Cuba last month, which was 18 months in the making, was then termed as a progressive step, one that was expected to generate more business in the industry.
The historical flight was made with government officials and media representatives onboard, who spent two days touring the island and its hotels.
At that time, Bahamasair’s Sales and Marketing Manager Tyrone Sawyer said: “This is an historical step and we feel it is going to be very profitable for Bahamasair because we have been building and building now we are here, at a time when there seems to be a greater demand for services to Cuba.”
Every Friday and Sunday a Bahamasair 737 jet serviced the routes. The round-trip flight from Nassau to Cuba was priced at $199 and from Grand Bahama the ticket was priced at $299. Cuban visas were obtained right at Bahamasair’s counter at a cost of $15.
The flight was also given the green light by the Airport Airline Allied Workers Union president Frank Carter, who had disclosed to the Guardian that since 1995 he has been trying to get the airline to fly to 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,” he said.
Bahamasair partnered with Cubalinda.com, a Bahamian based international business company, offering multifaceted vacation packages in Cuba.
By Keva Lightbourne, The Nassau Guardian
