Bahamasair celebrated a significant milestone on Wednesday November15, 2023, with the launch of its new direct service between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, andGeorgetown, Exuma. The new route enhances accessibility and convenience for Bahamianresidents and travelers seeking direct access to the Exuma Islands.

The inaugural flight carried approximately 50 passengers. The new service, which will operate onWednesdays and Saturdays, allows Bahamian locals to explore mainland Florida, while at thesame time, providing travelers direct access to Exuma without the need for a stopover in Nassau.

During a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL), TracyCooper, Managing Director of Bahamasair, was delighted with the new service. He highlightedthat the decision to add the flight to the Airline’s roster was a direct response to the public'sdemand. He added that the move signified Bahamasair's commitment to delivering a qualityproduct.

"Today, we are thrilled to inaugurate our first flight between Georgetown and Fort Lauderdale,marking a significant milestone in expanding our reach and enhancing connectivity," Mr. Coopersaid. "Next year, we are looking to acquire more airplanes, leading to increased rotations andeven more accessibility."

For the route, ATR aircraft will travel between the Georgetown International Airport and Terminal1 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, with an estimated flight time ofapproximately 90 minutes.

Lamar Fisher, Broward County Mayor, emphasized the significant impact of Bahamasair not onlyon the airport, but also on the county. The mayor pointed out that The Bahamas currently ranksas the 5th largest international market for FLL. He highlighted the strong cultural, historical, andbusiness ties between South Florida and The Bahamas, expressing optimism that the new routeto Georgetown would strengthen the connections.

"We welcome the Georgetown route,” said Mayor Fisher “We look forward to the tourism,business and trade benefits to come, connecting Broward County to another island in TheBahamas.”

Highlighting the significance of this milestone, Dr. Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General andDirector of Aviation at The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, characterized the launchas historic. He conveyed his enthusiasm as The Bahamas reached another major achievement,having welcomed approximately 7.9 million visitors in the first nine months of 2023.

Dr. Romer underscored the government's strategic vision to boost overall arrival numbers."This milestone is particularly noteworthy because, despite the ongoing efforts of our longstandingpartner airlines to bring people to The Islands of The Bahamas, I am delighted that our nationalairline, Bahamasair, has left its mark and etched history,” he said. "We are highly pleased withBahamasair's initiatives; they consistently make us proud. Their exploration of new routes hasour full government support."

According to Dr. Romer, the new route not only adds value to the airline’s route network but isalso valuable to Exuma’s economy.

"This inaugural has significant economic value and benefit because each person who comes intoExuma on a plane contributes 28 times more than a cruise arrival," said Dr. Romer. "So, whenwe look at Bahamasair adding additional seat capacity to Exuma, that translates in a tangible wayto heads in beds and money into the economy of Exuma."

Georgetown, Exuma serves as the gateway to an unparalleled Bahamian experience, with accessto pristine beaches, ranked among the world's best. Exuma is also home to the world-famousswimming pigs. Exuma and its neighboring island to the South - Long Island - will both benefitfrom the new route. Over the past 26 years, Bahamasair has provided transportation to FLL.During that period, the Airline has conducted over 65,000 flights and transported more than 4million passengers.

With Georgetown, Exuma added to its schedule, the Airline now offers seven (7) daily flights toFort Lauderdale to and from other Bahamian Family Islands: Nassau and Freeport, GrandBahama.