Exuma celebrates jet upgrade
Exuma welcomed faster, more convenient air service on Thursday as American Eagle replaced its daily turboprop flights to Exuma with jet service.
Minister of Tourism & Aviation welcomed the flight Thursday evening. He pointed out that the arrival of the jet helps his ministry’s effort to strengthen the individual awareness and reputation of each island. For too long, many people thought of the Bahamas as just Nassau and Paradise Island, he said.
“The only way the customer understands that we are a great deal more than that is by having products and services that demand this kind of attention and this kind of attraction,” he said.
Minister Vanderpool-Wallace gave credit to Sandals Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart for helping to attract jet service to the island. Without Mr. Stewart’s involvement investment in a Sandals Resort on Exuma, the island would not have attracted jet service from Canada, Atlanta and Miami, Minister Vanderpool-Wallace said.
Mr. Stewart pointed out that travelers always prefer to fly on jets. Destinations always try offer jets to satisfy customers, he said.
“People want jet service,” he said. “That is the ambition for all of us in the travel business. This jet service to the island, I think it also signals to the outside world that Exuma is now on the map.”
Brian and Lisa Dickerman travelled to Exuma on Thursday evening on the American Eagle ERJ 145 jet. The Connecticut couple was pleased with that the trip to Exuma was done by jet.
“It was beautiful, smooth, very low noise,” Mrs. Dickerman said. “It was just a brief, very quick flight.”
“The jet is a smoother ride, a faster ride, and we feel safer on a jet,” Mr. Dickerman added.
Betty Wilson, country manager for American Eagle, was pleased that the airline was able to service Exuma with the jet. She said this is only the beginning of new things in the Bahamas.
