NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A Florida-based airline operator said yesterday that Customs fees levied on airlines were making it “difficult to make ends meet,” noting, “It has to be economically viable for us.”
Stuart Hanley, founder and CEO of Aztec Airways, which offers on-demand charter flights to the Abacos, Eleuthera, Andros, Bimini, and the Berry Islands, commented while addressing the Andros Business Outlook conference on Thursday.
He noted: “Your Customs service is pretty tough. The fees we pay are the same across the board as United Airlines and American Airlines; our little Aztec Airways with three people on a flight. I pay the same inbound and outbound taxes to operate. We don’t cancel flights unlike some of the other carriers. When I bring an airplane with two or three people and walk out with $300 in fees, it makes it difficult to make ends meet.”
He added: “We have to get people here to you. You have the product, you have Andros Island, and it’s beautiful, but we have to get people here and it has to be economically viable for us to do that.”
Concerns have arisen in the aviation sector over new aircraft inbound fees for 2024 under the Customs Management Amendment Regulations 2024. Starting July 1, the Bahamas Customs Department will increase international inbound and outbound fees for aircraft nationwide.
Regularly scheduled commercial aircraft will pay $50 inbound and $50 outbound. Private commercial cargo flights will pay $150 inbound and $150 outbound. Private aircraft with four seats or fewer, including all seats in the cabin, will pay $75 inbound and $75 outbound, while private aircraft with more than four seats, including all seats in the cabin, will pay $150 each way. Flights flying for recreational purposes will also face a $150 inbound fee.
At the outlook, concerns were also expressed regarding the critical need to upgrade the island’s airport infrastructure.
Mannix Cargill, network administrator of Western Air, which flies to services Congo Town and San Andros, noted that the runways need repair. “Those two can use a major overhaul. It’s difficult to use,” he noted, pointing out that aircraft maintenance can be costly if runways aren’t in good condition.
Hanley added, “The runways are wearing out. Some of these runways are World War II in origin so they do need repair.”
