Why should the government continue to fund BahamasAir?

Does any Government have what it takes to turn BahamasAir around?

Do you feel BahamasAir will ever be profitable?

Should the government let go of the finically stricken airline?

What do you think? Have more questions or answers or statements about BahamasAir?

:confused: = Thinking

Let Us Know, Reply to this thread and vote on the poll!

Bahamasair should be sold, although I don't even think a new owner can do anything with it, maybe if it is newly staffed it might help, there is so much wastage and pilferage u would have to weed out all the old staff.
I don't think another dime should be spent on it, what is the use, it is just more wastage, that money can be channeled into something else, It will never be profitable.
Government should not own it, it should be privately owned.
I say dump it and move on.:walk:

Originally posted by GodSign
bahamasair is used by all govt.'s to get cuts that go directly to their pockets. it is just a cover-up...a fake business. if not it would have been sold a long time ago.:rolleyes:

How is this possible?
How would the government benefit from a dying company?

Not only should BahamasAir be save and funded the airline should be expanded to serving its current market. Management and Government should discontinue giving up lucrative routes to American flag carriers as Continental, American Air, etc., and place its own planes in service on these routes.

The planes currently being flown into Nassau by American Air and continental airlines are completely inadequate for any serious credible attempt at effectively improving the quality of the tourist product.

Tourist when boarding these regional small planes are immediately struck with the substandard nature of the Bahamian tourist product.

It's time to run a first class Airline with modern and well sized Jest service from Bahamas to Caribbean and US.

Bahamians need to stop crying and concentrate of being more Proactive and Productive.

If you can name for me one government run for-profit entity that is financially successful, delivers superior service at reasonable prices then I say give Bahamasair a chance. If not, then Bahamasair should go in the same direction as the Dodo bird, into extinction. Close to 200 million dollars have been lost on that airline alone over its lifetime. If Bahamsair is not a business failure then our politicians need to go back to business school and pay closer attention in class this time. I know they reasoned in their minds that Bahamasair provides an invaluable social service to the less populated island but I'm sure private charter fligths could do the same job without costing taxpayers so much.

The ability to make difficult decisions and remaining steadfast is what effective leadership is all about. Unfortunately, losing popular appeal and subsequently elections are more serious matters of concern to politicians than the business of prudent governance. Its not their money being wasted but ours.

If you can name for me one government run for-profit entity that is financially successful, delivers superior service at reasonable prices then I say give Bahamasair a chance.

No government, not even the U.S. Federal government can run a successfull or even an efficient airline. There were state owned airlines in Europe that went bankrupt and had to be sold. After many years of opperaton, Bahamasair still does not have a developed inter-island air travel system. There are over 12 inhabited islands in this nation but airline only has 10 planes (somedays less than 6) in it's fleet. Bahamasair can't even efficently serve the Freeport - Nassau route. To think I still can't fly directly from Freeport to nearby Abaco without connecting through Nassau. I don't want to put my money into a dying public airline that has no sign of reviving. How the hell do they expect to be flying to cuba and europe when they cant even efficiently meet the national demand. The private sector has proven time and time again that it can provide much better service. I am now flying Western Air to Nassau. At least they arrive and leave on time! iN fact I believe things would be alot better if some things were privatized (eg. ZNS because state owned television just sucks, only good for their news, and the government can use this to create political bias and advantage.)
even garbage colection needs to be privatized, I belive bahamas waste will do an excelent job just like the private sanitation service in Freeport. Maybe even electricity grids should be sold to certain power companies.( I guess I just like capitolism and I believe it works.:rolleyes: ) Sell bahamasair. It is a national embarrasment.

thats correct, not even in the US are companies government owned/run, they are private entities. Thats the only way to do business. The government gets its money from taxes, and lotteries (i think?).

No way!!!! BahamaAir should be dissolved and the monies that the government would be spending on it should be used to help Bahamians with many other issues that they have been ignoring. The privately own airlines seem to have more pride and better quality service along with caring that the flights are 'on schedule'! If the owners of the airlines are having financial problems there are ways of restructuring IF they do so in the first stages of financial failure but not when they have gone on so long as this. There has been a grave mismanagement of this company and why should the Bahamian people have to pay for mistakes that they had nothing to do with?
Take the monies and use it to help small business start ups! Use it to help the locals to become more productive entrepreneurs. There are many creative and productive people that could use this for their own good and the betterment of their fellow Bahamians.

Beleive it or not Bahamasair shouldn't be sold.
The government should have a special staff that only performs duties that are relating to Bahamasair and its operations. Just because the U.S. government doesn't own any airlines doesn't mean it is a bad idea for the Bahamas government to do so. The U.S. is solely capitalistic, thats why the U.S. government doesn't own any businesses. If you need insight on a partial reason why Bahamasair is still failing you might want to check out the thread "Government officials should have only one job". Keep in mind that just because the us government doesn't own any businesses doesn't mean that they don't spend money bailing out these industries. After sep. 11th the U.S. spent hundreds of millions bailing out numerous airlines and also amtrax travel train services. Now till this day American Airlines and other companies are still loosing money. Their expences slightly exceeds their income. They can barely afford to pay their employees. If you don't believe me check it out in the USA Today newspaper. Food for thought, the government knows how important it is for this country to have its own independent airline to ensure the Bahamian people that flights will go on despite what the foreign airlines are doing. Just as chancellor stated that she can't connect flights directly from freeport to abaco shows that the government needs to appoint better management within Bahamasair rather than having to continually bail it out. Lets be realistic, we all know there is lots of money to be made by just servicing the out islands alone. So why are we loosing money? We need better management. Not an invenstor.
Keep in mind that whoever is elected next leading party of this country will also apoint its own person to manage Bahamasair. It shouldn't be this way. Just because the government has changed doesn't mean that the management of the airline has to change. And also the next person appointed to managing Bahamasair shouldn't have a second job. There shouldn't be a conflict of interest because this is too important to be balancing your time with something else.

all airlines world wide are operating at a deficit..
aside from british air...
every one else is at a loss in the profit margin.

soo...the governmet has no choice to fund it if it wants to maintain it...
we dont want to cut staff do we...so its best the govt try the best it can!

The depleting and aging BahamasAir fleet will only cost more money in the future. The inability to keep a schedule reflects badly on the service. The politically appointed management probably sees $200 mil (and counting) as an non-reversable situation; one that will never be profitable, so they will continue down the path they are on. Meanwhile, they continue to reap their executive salaries without any fear of reprimand as they couldn't possibly get in trouble for sending the operation into an already bottomless pit.

if they dont want to get rid of it, they should at least look for private funding, or shareholders, as the Bahamas cannot afford to run an airline company, especially right now.

Would you invest in BahamasAir, knowing the track record for the service? I think you'd get more return on the investment by burning your dollars; at least you could use the flame for light!

Has the constitution of the Bahamas changed without an announcement? Because if it hasn't Bahamasair,Batelco,Bec etc. are still state run an also NOT designed to make a profit,but to enhance the LIVES of BAHAMIANS.But I agree with the general consensus that all these entities could be better managed.

Well the Bahamas needs money, BAD. It IS a poor country, plain and simple. To run a 'state run' business which is paid for by the bahamian people and our taxes, and not to make any money, but only to spend money which the country does not have, well Ill leave it up to you to determine. Just like the lotteries in the US Support the states they are run from, so should government businesses in the Bahamas. Ofcourse electric co's, etc, utility companies could be considred different, but an airline needs to make a profit.

After all Bahamas Air is definately not enhancing the lives of Bahamians, its just making us poorer!