The holidays gave critics of the Nassau airport new ammunition when a radar malfunction disrupted dozens of flights in and out of the Bahamian capital. The Dec. 24 meltdown stranded hundreds of passengers in Miami and Nassau, and sparked new calls for the airport to modernize its facilities.
“The Nassau International Airport is a sore thumb that apparently will not just go away,” the Bahamas Journal wrote in a Dec. 29 editorial. “This weekend past it proved to be most embarrassing”.
Bahamian officials hope to calm some of the grumbling with the announcement of a new operator, Vancouver Airport Services. The British Columbia-based company already runs airports in Montego Bay, Jamaica; Santiago, Chile and in the Dominican Republic. The company has been brought in by the Bahamian government for contract negotiations, and officials close to the Tourism Ministry expect the company’s selection will be announced shortly.
Tourism leaders see the airport as a drag on growth in that industry. Kerzner International, for example, made expansion of the airport a condition of agreeing to build a new hotel at its Atlantis resort. Meanwhile, growing interest from discount carriers — JetBlue, Song and Spirit all launched Nassau flights in the past two years — has added to the pressure.
Idris Reid, head of the Nassau airport authority, did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Vancouver executives also did not return calls from On The Road Again.
By: By Douglas Hanks III, Miami Herald
On the Road Again covers business travel for The Miami Herald. It welcomes questions on that topic, as well as hints, gripes and horror stories. Send your ideas to dhanks@Miami Herald.com.
