By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper says it is likely Monday’s industrial action by airport employees will have a “significant” impact on the country’s economy due to the number of tourists who missed their flights.

According to Mr Cooper some passengers at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) had to endure long lines for hours Monday afternoon as a result of the airport staff sick out.

The Bahamas Airport Authority workers were protesting a number of outstanding workplace grievances, including a stalled industrial agreement.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper said while a contingency plan was put in place to minimise the impact on airport operations, the sheer volume of passengers who came through LPIA as the day progressed just made the incident “unacceptable".

This led to some local and international passengers missing their flights, he added.

“The Ministry of Tourism did all we could to help to communicate and to help to facilitate a few passengers who remained at the end of the night and we did so because it was the right thing to do,” Mr Cooper said ahead of yesterday's Cabinet meeting.

“There are many of the passengers from Delta airlines who missed their flight during peak periods. They have been able to be rebooked so that process is being managed and Bahamasair yesterday ran mostly on time, only with a small number of persons missing flights and therefore, the matter was delayed but genuinely systematic.

“The wait time perhaps increased by an hour during the peak period as you saw the long lines. But we were able to work through those lines systematically. During the morning period, it flowed but during the peak time between 10 (am) and about 2(pm), it did become unacceptable."

He said his ministry had identified travellers who had missed their flights and worked with airlines yesterday to ensure that they would be “properly facilitated.”

“We have been working along with the major hotels to ensure that we smoothen the process for all of the people impacted,” Mr Cooper added. “We’ve been talking with the airlines to ensure that the persons who missed their flights yesterday are properly facilitated today.

“The airport authority has identified the people who miss their flights and promised them expedited processing through security today. In terms of customs service, we are doing everything we can.”

As far as the economic impact of Monday’s industrial action is concerned, the deputy prime minister said it is likely to be significant.

“I think the economic impact as a result of yesterday was significant to some of our stakeholders who may have had to stand in the gap to facilitate some of the passengers who may have been stranded as a result of missing their flights etc,” he said.

“The overall economic impact of yesterday’s action is perhaps a significant number given the fact that many people missed flights and given the impact on the jurisdiction, our reputation whether it discouraged passengers from coming. That’s something we will have to see over time.”

Mr Cooper also said while the sick out was unfortunate, the government just wants to move “forward in harmony with workers.”

“Let me just say that as a result of this action, there are all losers,” he said.

“This is an issue of significance to the economy and to the tourism industry. Our reputation as a country and our reputation as a tourist destination and the actions were not only illegal but most unfortunate.

“It was disappointing that we were not able to achieve the type of compromise and patience from the union. Suffice to say, we’re moving forward.”

The minister also addressed concerns that Monday’s sickout could result in negative findings by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), who is conducting an audit of the country’s airports.

“They are aware of the industrial action,” he said. “They have been providing some assistance and guidance as the case may be especially during peak time. They understand that these things happen.”

“We have to see at the end of the day what the impact of that assessment would be and what impact the actions had on that assessment. We anticipate that that’s not going to be a significant issue. They understand what has been happening and they sympathise and they understand the reality that we had to work with yesterday in particular.”