US authorities have temporarily prohibited three Bahamasair planes from serving routes into the US.
The 737-500 planes will no longer be permitted to serve current routes in Florida after Bahamasair missed a Jan. 1, 2020 FAA deadline to install Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out equipment on the aircraft.
Bahamasair chairman Tommy Turnquest said the airline has been having difficulty with its supplier for the equipment.
“We have been trying to find an alternate supplier and because these 737-500s are so old, we’ve had a great difficulty in finding a supplier. We believe we found one and they gave us a quote and said that we should have it in about three weeks, if we agree,” Turnquest said.
It should cost $195,000 per aircraft.
The airline’s other five ATRs and one 737-700 were updated with the required equipment.
“So those six planes are able to go to the United States,” he added.
“We have put on the 737-700 and the ATRs on those routes into Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. So none of our planes our grounded, they are just unable to go to the United States.”
Bahamasair wet leased two flights to Florida over the weekend to meet peak the demand for returning holiday travelers.
