By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Abaco hoteliers yesterday voiced fears that Silver Airways’ failure will disrupt airlift access at a critical point in the tourism season as the carrier provides 87,000 seats to the island annually.

With the Florida-based carrier’s demise came as no surprise, the abrupt announcement posted on its Instagram and other social media accounts that all services were ceasing with effect from yesterday caught passengers, hoteliers and other airlines unawares.

Emanuel Alexiou, the Abaco Beach Resort’s owner and Bahama Out Island Promotion Board principal, said yesterday that “we made some overtures to the Government to see what can be done” in anticipation that Silver Airways might shut down.

“The airline has been on life support for a while,” Mr Alexiou said. “We’ve seen this coming for at least two months. And I know we made some overtures to the Government to see what can be done. Not as Abaco Beach Resort. I’m also the president of the Out Island Promotion Board, and I’m also in the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association.

“So, as organisations, we’ve reached out to the Government, and they’re fully aware of this situation and I don’t want to pre-empt what they’re likely to come up with. All we can do is stress the importance of this, not only to our hotel, but to all of the Abacos and any other islands that were serviced by Silver Airways.

“The impact is tremendous and has to be resolved quickly. I don’t want to again pre-empt what the Government may be doing, and I know they’re going to do their best. It doesn’t behoove anybody not to try to find a solution.”

Molly McIntosh, owner of The Bluff House Beach Resort and Marina based in Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, voiced concern over how the reduction in flights will impact what she described as one of the busiest seasons Abaco has seen for some time. She added that she is hoping other airlines can fill the void left by Silver Airways.

“We are very concerned,” Ms McIntosh said. “I mean, no, it’s not a big surprise. It’s been talked about, and we knew it was a possibility, but it is greatly affecting everybody on Green Turtle Cay. People that are booked can’t make it, people leaving can’t get out... We’re hoping that maybe Bahamasair will be able to find some planes to pick up those routes from Fort Lauderdale into Abaco, into Marsh Harbour.

“First they filed bankruptcy reorganisation, and then they filed a different type of bankruptcy. When that starts happening, everyone becomes aware and gets nervous. But I guess we were all hoping that they wouldn’t actually cease operations until after our really busy season. But obviously that hasn’t happened.”

Mr Alexiou said that, if not rectified soon, on a yearly basis 87,000 airline seats coming into the Abacos will be lost. He stressed the importance of finding a quick solution so as to not lose “a very serious part of our season”.

“This is probably the best year yet,” Mr Alexiou added. “And we have things on the books that would continue to support that it would have been the best year. And this has now come along. I don’t know what the overall effect is going to be.

“It’s too early to tell the extent of it. I think again, it all depends on how quickly they resolve the issue. The season ends at the end of July, so if they don’t repair this by the end of July we’ve lost a very serious part of our season. September, October, November are slow, so there’s nothing we can do. This is family time. Schools are out in the US, so it’s a very crucial time for people to travel.”

Hoteliers in Exuma, another island serviced by Silver Airways are also feeling uneasy about the sudden reduction in airlift. However, Joe Eustice, general manager of Grand Isle Resort and Residences in Exuma, said many tourists arrive on the island via other airlines.

“We don’t get a lot of travel with Silver,” Mr Eustice said. “I’m not sure why. I mean, most of our guests come into Miami or Charlotte as a transfer from American Airlines or, you know, from Air Canada directly down here.

So we don’t get a lot of people in Florida that would splice over. So we don’t know. I haven’t checked with the front desk, but I haven’t heard of anyone who’s called with a request for discussion that their flights have been cancelled and they can’t arrive. It would be unfortunate for those who are dealing with that because when you’re in the middle of a trip and you have no options, it’s kind of disappointing.”

Ms McIntosh said while she has dealt with worried tourists set to travel on Silver Airways, she is willing to do what she can to accommodate guests.

“Obviously, we’ll always work with our guests,” Ms McIntosh said. “I’m actually on the road going down to Marsh Harbour, and I was just on the ferry with some guests that were leaving today, due to come back in on Friday, I think, on Silver, and she’s scrambling, trying to find a way back in now.

“But we work with our guests. If somebody needs to come a day later or extend their stay, or even if they have to cancel, we’re going to try and accommodate them with credits and that type of thing.

“We don’t want to leave people with a bad taste and not want to come back to Abaco because of a bad experience. So it’s a big deal, and it’s right now affecting a lot of people. I mean, I’ve had three phone calls this morning before I got on the ferry about it, so it’s a big deal.”

Mr Alexiou said he is prepared to refund guests if need be, adding: “Normally we wouldn’t if they don’t show up. But they can’t physically get here, so we’d have to give the money back.”

Reginald Wood, management consultant for the Exuma Palms Resort, said it would have to take the hit and reduce rates “and make the stay as memorable as possible for them”. He added that partnerships with others in the industry can help accommodate those they cannot.

“This is where the relationship that you forge with your other partners in the industry, even if it’s Airbnbs, which we work with on a regular, ongoing basis, come in,” Mr Wood said. “So when stuff like this happens, if we find ourselves where a guest that should have checked in yesterday is staying for another three days, and we got guests coming in, we would, in a case like this, reach out to our partners in the industry and the Airbnb owners, and see how best we can accommodate those guests that will be coming in through other partners in the industry.”