National

Bahamasair Face Delays and Cancellations Amid Sick-Out

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Just days before the holidays Bahamasair passengers faced a travel nightmare after 75 percent of flight attendants and other workers were a no-show Wednesday.

Published

1 year ago

December 18, 2024

Berthony McDermott

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Just days before the holidays Bahamasair passengers faced a travel nightmare after 75 percent of flight attendants and other workers were a no-show Wednesday.

Passengers were forced to stand on long lines as some flights were cancelled and others faced major delays.

Bahamasair executives are calling it an illegal strike action.

The national flag carrier saw flight delays and cancellations starting early Wednesday morning as employees held a sickout severely impacting operations.

Bahamasair Managing Director Tracy Cooper says it caused a major impact.

“In particular, 12 out of 16 flight attendants called in sick which represented 75 percent of those required to work this morning,” he said.

“This limits the amount of flights the airline can operate.”

But they weren’t the only ones who called out. Cooper said customer service, dispatch and ground handlers also called in sick prompting them to seek help elsewhere.

But what brought them to this point? According to Cooper, the Airport Airline and Allied Workers Union and Bahamasair signed an industrial agreement outlining an 11 and a half percent salary increase, four increments added to eace salary for every year except 202 and one lump sum increment given for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The managing director, however, says after a change in leadership, the union reached out looking for six additional increments to be added to salaries along with backpay.

Cooper called it unheard of.

The director of labour has since stepped in to mediate the issue; Cooper says Bahamasair was prepared to take the matter to the Industrial Tribunal. However, he claims the union never responded.

And as this standoff continues, passengers are suffering.

“I’m 84 years-old and I need a chair,” one passenger. “I’m holding on the suitcase not to support me and all they doing is turning your round and round.”

Another passenger said their plane was supposed to take off for 7:45.

“But apparently it didn’t because the airport was really clustered with persons coming in for the holiday so that is what we were told,” he said.