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History

Bahamasair was incorporated in October 1970 under the Companies Act as a wholly owned government entity, with operations commencing on June 18, 1973, following the acquisition of routes from Flamingo Airlines and Out Island Airways. The airline was established in response to a void in air transport services after major carriers like British Airways (1970) and Pan American World Airways (1973) discontinued service to Nassau due to the fuel crisis, impacting the Bahamas’ tourism-driven economy. Bahamasair was envisioned as an essential infrastructure provider to bridge Nassau with the Family Islands and mitigate reliance on foreign carriers.

Key historical milestones include:

• 1973: Launched its first flight to Freeport, Grand Bahama, and opened U.S. service from Nassau to Tampa, Florida, using BAC One-Eleven jets and turboprops like Lockheed L-188 Electra and Convair 340.
• 1975: Inaugurated scheduled service to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
• 1979: Added Atlanta, Georgia, as its first U.S. destination outside Florida.
• 1980: Acquired Boeing 737-200s to replace BAC One-Eleven jets.
• 1980s: Expanded to U.S. Northeast cities (Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Newark), but these routes were discontinued in 1989 due to unprofitability.
• 1984: Hired its first female pilot, Patrice Clarke-Washington, who later became the first African-American female captain at UPS.
• 1989: Introduced a new livery and uniforms, and added two Boeing 727-200s for the Bahamas Express Casino Junkets program, though these were retired due to financial losses from political interference.
• 1990: Became the launch customer for the 50-seat de Havilland Canada Dash 8-300, replacing BAe 748s.
• 1991: Replaced its entire jet fleet with Dash 8 turboprops, phasing out Boeing 737-200s, and added Short 360 and Cessna 402 aircraft for smaller routes.
• 2001: Launched service to Havana, Cuba.
• 2004: Initiated flights to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
• 2012–2014: Retired Boeing 737-200s and introduced three Boeing 737-500s with a 120-passenger all-economy layout (delivered March 2012, June 2012, and March 2014).
• 2015: Ordered five ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft to replace Dash 8s, with the first ATR 72-600 delivered on November 27, 2015.
• 2023: Celebrated 50 years of service, recognized by Boeing for its safe and reliable operations.

Operations

Bahamasair operates from its main hub at Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS), with additional operations from Freeport, Grand Bahama, and other Family Island airports. Its network spans 32 destinations, including 14 domestic locations and 18 regional/international routes across the United States, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Domestic Destinations:

• Abaco (Marsh Harbour, Treasure Cay)
• Acklins (Spring Point)
• Andros (Andros Town, Mangrove Cay, San Andros)
• Cat Island (The Bight, Arthur’s Town)
• Crooked Island
• Eleuthera (North Eleuthera, Governor’s Harbour, Rock Sound)
• Exuma (George Town)
• Freeport
• Inagua
• Long Island (Deadman’s Cay, Stella Maris)
• Mayaguana
• San Salvador

International Destinations:

• United States: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando
• Caribbean: Havana (Cuba), Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Providenciales (Turks and Caicos Islands)