Bahamasair

Bahamasair

IATA UP[1] ICAO BHS Callsign BAHAMAS
Founded	1973[2]
Commenced operations	7 June 1973[2]
Hubs	Lynden Pindling International Airport
Fleet size	8
Destinations	25
Company slogan	We don't just fly there, we live there
Parent company	Bahamian Government[2]
Headquarters	Nassau, Bahamas
Key people	Joe Beckett, Henry Woods (Managing Director)[3]
Website	bahamasair.com

Bahamasair Holdings Limited, operating as Bahamasair, is an airline based in the Bahamasair House in Nassau, Bahamas.^[4] It is the national airline and operates domestic scheduled services to 14 destinations and regional scheduled services to destinations in the Caribbean and the United States. Its main base is Lynden Pindling International Airport.^[5] It has the same logo as the Bahamas current logo.

History

Bahamasair De Havilland Canada DHC-6 operating an inter-island service from Nassau in 1975 wearing the original colour scheme

A Bahamasair Boeing 737-200 in the old livery taxiing at Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. (1998)

Bahamasair was born out of the oil crisis of the 1970s. In 1970, British Airways stopped flying to The Bahamas, and the Bahamian Government accurately predicted that some of the other major airlines flying to the country would follow British Airways' lead. Bahamasair was therefore established by the government and started operations on 7 June 1973,^[2] by acquiring the operations of Flamingo Airlines and Out Island Airways.

Bahamasair initially encountered operating difficulties, including poor maintenance facilities, economic conditions and company structure. Those factors brought public distrust as a consequential added problem. However, jet airliners started to arrive in the shape of British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Elevens followed by brand new Boeing 737s, and in 1972, it opened its first international service, from Nassau to Tampa, Florida. In 1973, the government's vision of many airlines leaving the island became a reality, when Pan Am and some other major companies decided to stop operating to the Bahamas. This enabled Bahamasair to capture a substantial part of the Bahamas scheduled air transport market. Through the rest of the 1970s, Bahamasair kept adding flights to other cities in Florida and, domestically, the presence of the airline also grew rapidly. According to the February 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide (OAG), interisland flights were operated with Fairchild Hiller FH-227 and STOL capable de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops and also with Beech 18 prop aircraft. This same OAG also lists four daily round trip flights between Nassau and Freeport operated by Bahamasair with BAC One-Eleven twin jets.^[6]

During the early 1980s, Bahamasair unsuccessfully tried to expand to the Northeast United States, opening flights to Philadelphia, Washington DC (Dulles) and Newark, New Jersey. But in 1989, the airline's directors decided that those routes were not profitable and eliminated them from the airline's route map. Also in 1989, the Boeing 727-200 first came into the fleet. They would acquire a total of two. That was also the year that a new livery and workers' uniform were introduced. The Boeing 727's however, could not be kept into service long because of political favors and interference, thereby causing the company to lose vast sums of money in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 1991, de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 turbine propellor aircraft were purchased to substitute the whole jet fleet and the Boeing 737-200s were taken out of service. According to the September 15, 1994 Official Airline Guide (OAG), most flights were being operated with Dash 8 turboprops although Short 360 turboprops and Cessna prop aircraft were being operated in scheduled service as well.^[7] The Dash 8 was being flown on all scheduled services between the Bahamas and Florida at this time according to this OAG. In 1997, the Boeing 737's returned to service because key routes warranted the cargo and passenger carrying capabilities offered by these jetliners. The 737-200 was deployed to Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando as well as one domestic route, being Nassau-Freeport. Bahamasair currently operates later model Boeing 737-500 jetliners in addition to the stretched Dash 8 series 300 turboprop.

Destinations

Livery

Its latest livery, which was first introduced in October 2004, has, so far, only been applied to the Boeing 737s in the fleet. It is a white fuselage with a light blue belly and engines, with the airline's name above the windows. The "Bahamas" part of the name is in light blue, the "air" part in red. On the tail is the colourful logo of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. Older liveries are relegated to the Dash 8's, some of which maintained the traditional Bahamian flag colors of black, aquamarine and gold located on the tailfin, including aquamarine and gold stripes on the rearward half of the fuselage since their purchase in the mid-1980s. The newer Dash 8 models remain in solid white livery, yet maintains the Bahamian flag on the tailfin only. All Dash 8's maintain the Bahamasair logo on the top fuselage, near the front doors.

Fleet

Fleet Additions

In November 2011, the government discussed plans to replace the Bahamasair Boeing 737-200 aircraft with more fuel efficient and cost effective aircraft. However, it was said that the Boeing 737-500 may serve as a replacement for the current jet fleet. In 2012, Bahamasair confirmed they would be taking delivery of two Boeing 737-500s from Aerolíneas Argentinas with a 120 passenger all-economy class layout. The first aircraft was delivered on 30 March 2012 and put into service in April 2012. The second 737-500 was delivered on 21 June 2012. Bahamasair retired their last 2 Boeing 737-200's in September 2012. Bahamasair received the third Boeing 737-500 from Scandinavian Airline System in March 2014.

Former Turboprop and Jet Aircraft

A now retired Bahamasair Boeing 737-200 departing Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. (1989)

Bahamasair has also operated the previous aircraft:

In addition, Bahamasair previously operated Beech 18 piston engine twin prop aircraft.

References

1. ↑ "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015. 
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9. 
3. ↑ "New routes for Bahamasair". Airliner World: 15. January 2015. 
4. ↑ "Directory: World Airlines. Flight International. 16–22 March 2004. 96.
5. ↑ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 84. 
6. ↑ Feb. 1, 1976 North American Official Airline Guide (OAG)
7. ↑ Sept. 15, 1994 North American Official Airline Guide (OAG)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bahamasair.

• Bahamasair Official Website

Airlines of the Bahamas In operation Air Charter Bahamas Bahamasair Cherokee Air Flamingo Air Golden Wings Charters Pineapple Air SkyBahamas Airlines Southern Air Charter Western Air Defunct Abaco Air Laker Airways