Delta Airline's daily service to Nassau from LaGuardia Airport is already performing well, despite the service being reinstated just four months ago.
Sarah Lora, the airline's general manager for corporate communications for Latin America and the Caribbean, confirmed to Guardian Business that the route is looking strong. Tourism Director General David Johnson noted that Delta is satisfied with the load factors, which he estimates to be at least in the mid-to-upper 70s.
"They are quite pleased with the numbers and we are very comfortable with it. We met with them approximately five weeks ago and they reconfirmed their confidence in that service. It's now into its fourth month and it's contributed significantly," according to Johnson. "That service has done very well. Delta shared with us shortly after putting the flight in that they were a little apprehensive after being out of the market for quite sometime. However, in short order that aircraft and that route begun to perform just as strong as their major hub which is Atlanta to Nassau."
During its inaugural flight in March, the route was expected to bringing an additional 1,000 seats on weekly basis, as the flight can accommodate 155 passengers. At that time, Delta's Specialty Sales General manager Norma Dean told Guardian Business that, based on the inaugural flights and early bookings, this service is already looking strong and is on par with the airline's Atlanta service.
She estimated an 80 percent load factor on average.
This service should translate into The Bahamas seeing more than 50,000 additional visitors this year.
"Nassau lies within the 1,500 mile perimeter of New York. We are able to offer New Yorkers the paradise of an international destination and conversely offer Bahamian passengers the convenience of connecting to over 60 cities in the United States," she shared. "In New York, you will see plans for major expansion underway. Delta is investing over $100 million in major infrastructure upgrade to that airport."
The non-stop flight from LaGuardia into Nassau operates daily and began on March 2. It was in March 2010 when Delta Airlines discontinued its service to Nassau from LaGuardia.
These numbers are pleasing to tourism officials, as a senior government official revealed to Guardian Business that his ministry hopes to attract more than two million airlift passengers to The Bahamas.
"We are going after a million more seats for The Bahamas. We don't have the seats that we need. More airlift is coming. We are going after more business," according to Obie Wilchcombe, the minister of tourism.
"The whole idea is that the more bodies we get from overnight visitors, the more we are able to complement our tourism industry. We have to make sure that we get airlift because that is key."
Last week, United Airlines announced a new direct flight from Chicago and that service could translate into nearly 4,000 additional seats each year.
Don Robinson, the president of Baha Mar, previously disclosed to Guardian Business that the country needs 400,000 more seats in the market by the time the mega resort opens at the end of 2014.

The country received a total of 1.34 million stopover tourists last year.

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