By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas’ top aviation gateway urgently needs “a serious overhaul” of key airside and terminal infrastructure to keep pace with increased flight traffic and tourism, industry operators said yesterday.

Anthony Hamilton, president of the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators, told Tribune Business that the expansion of, and upgrades to, key assets such as runways, taxiways and aprons at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) is “long overdue” and needed to happen “yesterday” given the tourism-driven rise in flight volumes and passenger numbers.

Speaking after Dr Kenneth Romer, The Bahamas’ director of aviation, confirmed that the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), LPIA’s operator, is developing a comprehensive plan for the airport’s future growth, he agreed that its infrastructure is “lagging” the increase in traffic and impacting The Bahamas’ ability to deliver a “quality product” for Bahamians and guests.

Mr Hamilton, also Southern Air’s director of administration, he told this newspaper that enhancements to LPIA’s terminal as well as airside physical infrastructure “must happen” and initial talks have already been held between NAD, the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAAB) and the airlines on the way forward and how to resolve issues impacting the operators.

“They are long overdue,” he said of the improvements discussed by Dr Romer. “For years now. We’ve outgrown the facility. It’s absolutely necessary for renovations and expansion right now, no question about it. When we look at the tourism numbers, the traffic and the commensurate infrastructure to accommodate that traffic, the infrastructure is lagging.

“It is lagging to keep pace with the increase in traffic. If we think about the quality of service it has a serious impact. Those numbers are coming in, and we’re not in a position to accommodate them. The infrastructure needs serious overhaul.”

Mr Hamilton argued that this applies equally to LPIA’s runways and airside assets as well as the terminals, pointing to long-standing issues such as the baggage system which impact “efficient and effectively organised service between both terminals”.

He added: “If you had an opportunity to visit recently, you’d notice the difficulty getting on a gate. The traffic sometimes has to sit out. There’s difficulty finding gates for parking and the disembarking of passengers. That tells it, because we have a space challenge.

“Hence the urgency of getting the expansion and restoration done to ensure we have a quality product and some efficiency in service.” Asked when the proposed upgrades need to begin, the Association of Air Transport Operators chief said simply: “Yesterday.”

“I think it’s inevitable that happens,” Mr Hamilton said of LPIA’s continued expansion. “I don’t think there’s any question about it needing to happen. It must happen. The scientific evidence is there. The traffic is going to increase.

“It will be better for all of us, the travelling public and those of us providing the service. Hopefully we’ll see, as a result of that improvement, the aviation industry’s bottom line regarding its GDP contribution increasing.

“As a matter of fact, we’ve made some strides and improvements on some of these legacy situations. Some of them have been with us for a very long time. The runways, as well as some of the challenges we’re having with the terminals with regard to the baggage system and so forth. Those things have been hanging around for a long time.”

Dr Romer last week said the plans for LPIA include new runway and taxi ways, while issues involving the control towers and limited operational hours will also be addressed. “I’ve met with the chairman and the president of NAD, Vernice Walkine and NAD has unveiled a plan that speaks to the expansion of the taxi ways and additional runways,” he added.

“So, I am certain that very soon we would invite the media to see those plans. But there is a plan to address the air side concerns and components at LPIA. When asked if these plans include a new runway, Dr Romer said: “The short answer is yes.

“The plans do include a new runway. The plans also include addressing the concerns with the control towers. The concerns speak to the problem with the runway, speak about a comprehensive way that we can address the congestion between the FBOs (fixed base operators) and the commercial legacy side of LPIA. The president of NAD, I’m certain will be unveiling plans very soon to the general public.”

Dr Romer added that longer operational hours at LPIA is something that is being considered to ease congestion and facilitate the increase in air traffic at The Bahamas’ major airport.

“We have looked at our aviation strategy. The Bahamas is positioned geographically to have ongoing operations, including night-time operations. We know that there are some concerns now. There are some commercial matters that have to be resolved, manpower matters,” he said.

Mr Hamilton yesterday confirmed there have been initial talks between aviation operators, NAD and industry regulators over the proposed expansion. “We’ve had some preliminary discussions, in some instances on a one:one basis not a collective, encouraging them to do it,” he added.

“In recent days we met with the Civil Aviation Authority and NAD with specific matters for the operators. They all recognise there is some work to be done. There is a plan emerging with regard to aviation, and we need all the stakeholders to be engaged so that better decisions are taken. There’s been some improvement but there is room for more on communication so stakeholders are not on the outside.”

Mr Hamilton added that the Government needs to “give serious consideration to providing a subvention to domestic operators to give the industry balance”, especially if if wants to “deliver a quality product and sustain it” in terms of providing swift, reliable connectivity to the Family Islands. “There are challenges with regard to funding, but there are ways this can take place,” he acknowledged.

Access to financing, and the difficulty for Bahamian domestic operators in obtaining essential spare parts due to the post-COVID manufacturing and supply chain backlogs, are further obstacles for the industry. And LPIA’s upgrades cannot be viewed in isolation from the need to also improve multiple Family Island airports with “seriously challenged” infrastructure, Mr Hamilton argued.

He also said The Bahamas has “a golden opportunity for new career path ways as far as aviation is concerned”, with the industry needing to reach out and encourage students to explore the variety of job opportunities if offers beyond becoming a pilot.