Bahamas Aviation Department Names Bahamas Gateway FBOs
/To make it easier for private pilots to obtain travel procedural information to fly to and from the Bahamas, the Islands of the Bahamas Aviation Department has launched The Bahamas Gateway FBOs partnership with several South Florida FBOs.
The four FBOs identified as Bahamas Gateway FBOs include:
- Miami Executive Aviation at Opa Locka Airport (OPF)
- Banyan Air Service at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE)
- Galaxy Aviation of Palm Beach at Stuart/Palm Beach Airport (SUA)
- Air Center/Fort Pierce at St. Lucie International Airport (FPR)
The Bahamas Tourist Office staff has trained these four FBOs on all facets of U.S. and Bahamas requirements of aircraft leaving and arriving on the U.S. mainland. The chosen FBOs were selected with the aim to line up the needs of the private pilot with what is available at the destination and to make the trip to the Bahamas as seamless as possible. It is hoped that the number of Bahamas Gateway FBOs will grow.
The selected FBOs have are equipped to provide customs and immigration information as well as supplies and even up-to-the minute information on the Bahamas. The small airports serve as a one-stop shop for private pilots as well as private and charter general aviation traffic.
“The FBOs like Banyan have shown much interest in working with The Islands of the Bahamas,” Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation chief aviation specialist Gregg Rolle said.
Because of this expressed interest, over the years, the Bahamas Aviation Department has conducted staff training and included FBOs in its marketing activities, such as trade shows and promotional ventures, Rolle said.
“Our Bahamas preferred FBOs have proven to be a great resource for us,” Rolle said. The co-op initiatives with the Bahamas’ key FBOs, such as the educational seminars and trade shows, gives additional quality of service to the FBOs’ customers. He said the country’s key FBOs prove to be of tremendous assistance to private pilots leaving the U.S. for the Bahamas and have been known to assist them beyond the U.S. into the Islands.