By RIEL MAJOR

AMERICAN Airlines will start operating one of their seven daily flights from Miami to Nassau beginning in June using a larger aircraft.

In an interview with The Tribune, Laura Masvidal, Global Communications, said the Boeing 737-800 has 16 seats in the business class and 156 seats in the main cabin. The other six daily flights will operate with an ERJ175 aircraft with 12 seats in business class and 64 seats in the main cabin.

Ms Masvidal said: "During the summer, on peak days we operate five daily Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Lynden Pindling International Airport (CLT-NAS) flights, currently operated with A319s, with eight seats in business class and 120 seats in the main cabin.

“Starting in June two of our flights will be operated with A319s, two with A320s and one with an A321. The A320 aircraft has 12 seats in business class and 138 seats in the main cabin, and the A321 aircraft has 16 seats in business class and 171 seats in the main cabin."

Last December American Airlines released a press statement stating the airline is growing their presence in the Bahamas.

"New seasonal service include flights from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to North Eleuthera International Airport (ELH) and Marsh Harbour International Airport (MHH). Additionally, seasonal service from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to the Lynden Pindling International Airport and year-round service from New York-LaGuardia (LGA) to the Lynden Pindling International Airport giving customers even more options when travelling between the U.S. and the Bahamas," the American Airlines press statement said.

"American is a leading carrier in the country and today operates more than 153 weekly flights to five destinations in the Bahamas: NAS, ELH, MHH, Freeport (FPO) and George Town (GGT).

The statement continued: "The flights will operate Saturday-only service. LGA-NAS will operate year-round, ORD- NAS will operate seasonally, becoming year-round starting summer 2019; and CLTELH and CLTMHH will operate seasonally.

“The CLT-ELH flight will be operated with a Bombardier CRJ-900 with 12 seats in business class and 64 seats in the main cabin; the CLT-MHH flight will be operated with an Embraer E175 with 12 seats in business class and 64 seats in the main cabin.

"The ORD-NAS flight will be operated with a Boeing 737-800 with 16 seats in business class and 144 seats in the main cabin. And the LGA-NAS flight will be operated with an Airbus A319 with eight seats in business class and 120 seats in the main cabin."

Caroline Hollingsworth, Country Manager for the Bahamas, said: “With a more than 30-year commitment to the Bahamas, we are pleased to continue growing our presence in the country, helping to further strengthen tourism, our number one industry.

“Additionally, these new routes will provide our customers flying from the Bahamas with one-stop access to the wide network that we operate from two of our hubs in the U.S, Charlotte, which includes more than 670 daily flights to 160 destinations and Chicago, with more than 510 daily flights to 144 destinations.”

"The Ministry of Tourism welcomes American Airlines’ continued growth to The Islands of the Bahamas,” said Dionisio D'Aguilar, Minister of Tourism & Aviation.

“These flights open up greater market access to North Eleuthera and its surrounding islands Harbour Island and Spanish Wells as well as Marsh Harbour by attracting customers from markets in the northeast which have great connections on American via Charlotte.