NASSAU, Bahamas : The holidays in North Eleuthera and Marsh Harbour, Abaco got a lot busier after American Airlines brought in two new flights from Charlotte, North Carolina.
The flights began on December 22 and will continue to those locations every Saturday.
Passengers will fly to North Eleuthera Airport on a 75-seat Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, while service to Marsh Harbour Airport will operate on an Embraer E175 that carries 78 passengers .
During the airline’s inaugural flight ceremony to North Eleuthera, Bahamas Tourism Office Manager in North Eleuthera June Dean said the new flights will bring a welcomed boost to the island’s economy.
“We’re very excited about it because this is going to grow our visitor arrivals and once the arrivals grow then the economy will grow as well,” she said.
“Eleuthera always thrives around this time and with the additional persons coming in, we will get even busier.”
Manager of the North Eleuthera Airport Patrick Kemp said American Airlines has a great partnership with the community.
“With American Airlines having a flight out of Miami, the flight coming out of Charlotte would increase our revenue and our client base and so we are definitely excited,” he said.
“We definitely have a great relationship with them thus far and so we are definitely looking for that to increase as a result of this flight.”
American Airlines also launched a Saturday service from Chicago O’Hare to Nassau.
The service will be operated by 160-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar lauded the arrival of the flights.
“The Ministry of Tourism welcomes American Airlines’ continued growth to The Islands Of The Bahamas,” he said. “These flights open up greater market access to North Eleuthera and its surrounding islands Harbour Island and Spanish Wells as well as Marsh Harbour by attracting customers from markets in the northeast which have great connections on American via Charlotte. In addition, American Airlines’ nonstop Saturday-only flights to Nassau from Chicago and New York provide more seat capacity when it is needed from these major metropolitan areas which would will help tourism continue to flourish in Nassau.”
