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Cruise returnees cause airport rush

Mon, Jun 21st 2021, 08:37 AM
Business Tribune Stories

The Bahamas must "go back to the drawing board" on the departure experience for Royal Caribbean's home porting passengers after many were forced to wait two hours or longer to check-in with Bahamasair.

Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar told Tribune Business yesterday that this was “one glitch” in an otherwise “seamless” inaugural home porting experience that requires rapid review to ensure it does not occur again.
#He suggested that Bahamasair “probably under-estimated” how many disembarked Royal Caribbean passengers would arrive at Lynden Pindling International Airport after their seven-day voyage on Adventure of the Seas ended on Saturday, which resulted in check-in hold-ups and flights departing one after for Florida.
#“I think the home porting experience went very well,” the minister told this newspaper. “There was one glitch on the outbound. I think Bahamasair probably under-estimated the time to check those people in and their bags.
#“That will be the first debrief. People taking two hours to check-in. We have to go back to the drawing board and see how to make that work. Bahamasair management were challenged to deal with that. They didn’t envision or think through this last component of home porting. They pitched up at Bahamasair all at once.”
#However, Mr D’Aguilar said all other aspects of the airport departure experience seemed to function well. Despite having voiced concerns just a week earlier that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had left LPIA’s pre-clearance facility under-staffed, the Biden administration had “stepped up to the plate and addressed that” in time for Royal Caribbean’s first home port sailing.
#“Airport security processed them at speed allowing them to proceed to CBP. The airport worked very well apart from check-in at Bahamasair. We have to look at that,” he added, disclosing that LPIA had also developed a “cultural garden” where passengers could relax before boarding their flight.
#Still, conscious that Bahamasair check-in could have impacted the passengers’ final experience of The Bahamas, Mr D’Aguilar said: “We have to keep on our game to review and make the process as seamless as possible. When dealing with as many cruise passengers as a ship disembarks at once, you have to keep on your game.
#“Overall I’ve been very pleased with the whole experience. I understand Bay Street had a little buzz going on and that the British Colonial Hilton was very busy. Home porting has been a shot in the arm. When they arrive in the country they have to get transported to the ship, a lot of them stay in the hotel overnight.
#“They may go to a restaurant, retail store, go to a bar or gamble in a casino. Then they have to get transported to the ship in the morning. I understand a number of them went on excursions. The economic impact of this has been tremendous, and a lot of people are happy that while we wait for the return of cruises from south Florida this is a good shot in the arm.”

Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar told Tribune Business yesterday that this was “one glitch” in an otherwise “seamless” inaugural home porting experience that requires rapid review to ensure it does not occur again.

He suggested that Bahamasair “probably under-estimated” how many disembarked Royal Caribbean passengers would arrive at Lynden Pindling International Airport after their seven-day voyage on Adventure of the Seas ended on Saturday, which resulted in check-in hold-ups and flights departing one after for Florida.

“I think the home porting experience went very well,” the minister told this newspaper. “There was one glitch on the outbound. I think Bahamasair probably under-estimated the time to check those people in and their bags.

“That will be the first debrief. People taking two hours to check-in. We have to go back to the drawing board and see how to make that work. Bahamasair management were challenged to deal with that. They didn’t envision or think through this last component of home porting. They pitched up at Bahamasair all at once.”

However, Mr D’Aguilar said all other aspects of the airport departure experience seemed to function well. Despite having voiced concerns just a week earlier that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had left LPIA’s pre-clearance facility under-staffed, the Biden administration had “stepped up to the plate and addressed that” in time for Royal Caribbean’s first home port sailing.

“Airport security processed them at speed allowing them to proceed to CBP. The airport worked very well apart from check-in at Bahamasair. We have to look at that,” he added, disclosing that LPIA had also developed a “cultural garden” where passengers could relax before boarding their flight.

Still, conscious that Bahamasair check-in could have impacted the passengers’ final experience of The Bahamas, Mr D’Aguilar said: “We have to keep on our game to review and make the process as seamless as possible. When dealing with as many cruise passengers as a ship disembarks at once, you have to keep on your game.

“Overall I’ve been very pleased with the whole experience. I understand Bay Street had a little buzz going on and that the British Colonial Hilton was very busy. Home porting has been a shot in the arm. When they arrive in the country they have to get transported to the ship, a lot of them stay in the hotel overnight.

“They may go to a restaurant, retail store, go to a bar or gamble in a casino. Then they have to get transported to the ship in the morning. I understand a number of them went on excursions. The economic impact of this has been tremendous, and a lot of people are happy that while we wait for the return of cruises from south Florida this is a good shot in the arm.”

 

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