Bahamasair (UP, Nassau International) is looking to place an order for A220 aircraft to renew its fleet and replace its ageing B737-700s, chief executive Tracy Cooper said during the Routes Americas conference in Nassau, Bahamas.
“The Airbus A220 is the main aircraft we’re looking at right now, and we expect to make a decision on this sometime this year, 2025,” he said, as quoted by the Bahamas’ Eye Witness News. “We expect that these aircraft could provide 13-15% improvements in operational costs.”
Last year, Cooper told ch-aviation that both the A220 and Boeing’s B737 MAX were the main candidates for the carrier. “The islands of the Bahamas are growing, demand is growing. There are times when we cannot fulfil those demands,” he said at the time. “We’re looking at how we could renew the jet fleet into something that is a bit more modern and will bring more efficiency.”
The ch-aviation fleets module shows Bahamasair’s fleet comprises nine aircraft, three ATR42-600s, two ATR72-600s, and four B737-700s, the latter type being 20.2 years of age on average. It owns its entire fleet, but according to Eye Witness News it is likely to lease any new arrivals. Other local news sources said that the chief executive put the number of A220s it would order at eight to ten.
In parallel, Cooper explained that Bahamasair had faced supply chain issues with Pratt & Whitney regarding the engines of its ATR - Avions de Transport Régional fleet, which has resulted in delays of up to 150 days in the delivery of any repairs. To address this, the company has reportedly acquired another turboprop “because we see the demand for travel between the islands growing.”
Bahamasair was not immediately available for further comment to ch-aviation.
