Outraged passengers on a delayed Bahamasair evening flight – including an eight-month pregnant woman – say they were forced to enter the Lynden Findling airport on all fours.
Two of the passengers spoke to The Tribune yesterday, explaining that after disembarking, they had to enter the terminal through the luggage conveyor belt opening, as all other entrances to the airport were locked.
The packed flight arrived at the airport at around 9pm on Saturday, September 23, after already being delayed for over an hour-and-a-half in Marsh Harbour – only to find that the main entrance to the airport was locked.
Although there were security guards standing inside the doors, they said they did not have permission to open them as they were still awaiting confirmation from the airport authority, the two passengers said.
After standing outside in the rain for about 10 minutes, waiting for assistance and checking for other entrances, passengers eventually resorted to crawling through the entrance usually reserved only for luggage to gain access to the airport.
“From what I understood. afterwards, whoever was responsible for security had locked the door and left their post, so there was no one to let us in,” said one passenger.
“People were wandering around outside, it was drizzling too, there were older people, pregnant women, and we were trying to get out through the other exit but we couldn’t get out that way.”
Inside the airport, passengers were reportedly greeted by apologetic Bahamasair representatives who said that they had been calling Civil Aviation authorities while the delayed flight was in the air, to ensure the passengers would have access to the airport upon arrival.
“Bahamasair apologised profusely, they said it wasn’t their fault, it was Civil Aviation’s fault,” explained one of the passengers.
According to sources, the Bahamasair representative said she had been “laughed at” and hung up on by Civil Aviation personnel.
Yesterday, Ivan Cleare, deputy director at Civil Aviation denied that this responsibility would have been within the remit of his department, suggesting instead that the Airport Authority is responsible.
No one at the Airport Authority was available for comment yesterday.
By ALISON LOWE, The Tribune
