After cancelling all of its weekend flights in order to comply with Weekend Lockdown Emergency Orders, Bahamasair received instructions to fly 12 foreign divers from San Salvador to New Providence Saturday morning.
The National flag carrier burned fuel flying an empty aircraft to San Salvador after it was given strict instructions not to fly any Bahamians there and not to bring any passengers back other than the divers. However, the airline succumbed to pressure from a handful of angry Bahamians who were prepared to carry on bad at the airport if they weren’t allowed to catch the flight to New Providence along with the foreigners.
At Lynden Pindling International Airport, the tower initially refused to allow the aircraft to take off because the airline was operating the flight in contravention of the Emergency Order. However, after airline officials made some calls to the top, the tower was instructed to allow the aircraft to depart LPIA.
Sources in Bahamasair tell the Gallery that their second in command is a former chairman of the Women’s Branch of the Free National Movement who uses her influence with the board to get her way. Employees say she pulled a flight scheduled to travel to another island and sent it to Acklins instead.
It’s just the latest example of the government having a different set of rules for Bahamians and foreigners. On Saturday, the government gave tourists permission to have a big destination wedding in Harbour Island while Bahamians were forced to cancel their wedding and funeral plans due to the last-minute weekend lockdown.