Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Nassau, The Bahamas

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Health Alert

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Nassau, The Bahamas – April 6, 2020

Location:  The Bahamas

Event:    April 6 Update: Bahamas Nationwide Lock downs announced for April; Commercial and Charter Flight Availability to the United States

On April 6, the Prime Minister of The Bahamas announced full lock down orders for all of The Bahamas as follows:

  • From 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 through 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14.
  • From 9:00 p.m. Friday, April 17 through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, April 20. 
  • From 9:00 p.m. Friday, April 24 through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, April 27.  

During these lockdown periods, virtually all businesses and service providers will be closed, including grocery stores.  Hospitals, hotels with guests, law enforcement and essential utility personnel are excepted from these around the clock shutdown restrictions.  We urge all U.S. citizens still in The Bahamas and its territorial waters to shelter in place or stay in your home and yard, on your vessel, or in your hotel/lodging during these lock down periods, until the regular 24-hour curfew regulations resume as per the above schedule.

For U.S. citizens on private vessels:  On the morning of April 6, the Prime Minister of The Bahamas announced that the Bahamian government is developing specific protocols for yachts and other pleasure craft to allow as many of these vessels as possible to return to their country of origin. The U.S. Embassy will inform the U.S. citizen community of these protocols as soon as they are announced.  Until then, please continue to follow the directions of the Bahamian government, shelter in place when necessary, and depart for the United States as soon as conditions and restrictions allow.  The U.S. Embassy is communicating with the Bahamian government at the highest levels and is working around the clock to inform and assist U.S. citizens in need. However, we cannot circumvent the emergency orders the Bahamian government has put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 within its own borders.

Important telephone numbers:

  • For COVID-19 emergency health and health-related questions:  Dial 511
  • For general information about COVID-19 which is not connected to an emergency or immediate health-related matter:  Dial 411
  • For all health emergencies and life-threatening conditions:  Dial 911
  • For lock down and curfew-related inquiries, the Royal Bahamas Police Force COVID-19 Command Centre can be reached at 311

If you have an emergency, please write to ACSnassau@state.gov or call +1-242-322-1181.  The Embassy will make every effort to assist however we cannot circumvent the emergency orders put in place by the Bahamian government.

International scheduled commercial flights and private charter flight options, while limited,

currently exist in The Bahamas.  U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements as soon as possible unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.  The U.S. government does not anticipate arranging repatriation flights in The Bahamas at this time.

Scheduled Commercial Airline Flights to the United States as of 1500 EDT April 6:

  • American Airlines canceled all flights to the United States through May 7.
  • Delta Airlines canceled all flights to the United States through May 1.
  • Southwest Airlines canceled all flights to the United States through June 5.
  • United Airlines canceled all flights to the United States through May 3.
  • JetBlue ​has limited flights for the month of April from Nassau to Ft. Lauderdale and is scheduled to fly on Tuesday, April 7 at 4:31 p.m. from Nassau to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Silver Airways has limited flights to the U.S. from Nassau, Bimini, North Eleuthera, Marsh Harbour, Governor’s Harbour and Exuma.  Silver is schedule to fly on Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8 at 3:20 p.m. from North Eleuthera to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Aztec Air has scheduled flights to Fort Lauderdale from North Eleuthera and Governor’s Harbour. On Wednesday, April 8 at 10:00 a.m., Aztec is scheduled to fly from North Eleuthera to Fort Lauderdale.

Please check directly with the airlines for the current flight schedule.

Commercial flights, if and when scheduled, are subject to cancellation at the last minute and some upcoming flights are already sold out.  The availability of flights to the United States continues to diminish and has the potential to cease at any moment and without notice due to a lack of passenger volume, due to the restrictions in effect on incoming international flights, and due to lock down periods.  If you are a U.S. citizen in The Bahamas and you need to return to the United States, we urge you to leave as soon as possible.  U.S. citizens who choose to remain in The Bahamas should prepare to do so for an indefinite period of time.

Private Charter Flights to the United States

Some private charter companies have confirmed their ability to provide flights into the United States directly from The Bahamas.  We encourage you to contact charter companies directly with questions regarding availability and cost.

  • Air Care 1: aircareone.com, +1-502-242-7760
  • Air Flight Charters:  airflightcharters.com, +1-954-359-0320
  • All Bahamas Courier Services: +1-242-727-4165
  • Aztec Airways:  +1-954-351-9313
  • Island Wings – USA: +1-954-617-8804
  • Makers Air – FXE:  Info@makersair.com, +1-954-771-0330
  • Noble Air Charter:  +1-305-685-9634
  • Trans Island Airways:  sales@tia.aero
  • Tropic Air Charters – FXE:  Tropicaircharters@gmail.com; +1-954-267-0707
  • Tropic Ocean Airways – FLL:  Flytropic.com, +1-954-210-5569
  • Tropix Air/Island Wings Ltd.:  +1-242-424-4260

This list is in not an endorsement. Additional operators not listed above may be available.

The Embassy has been informed by the Bahamas’ Civil Aviation Authority that domestic commercial flights from the Family Islands to Nassau are not authorized under the current emergency orders.  Any international commercial flights currently scheduled to provide direct flights to the U.S. or Canada must arrive to The Bahamas empty.  As we have seen, passenger volume has led many flights to be canceled with little or no notice.

On March 23, the Prime Minister of The Bahamas announced additional measures in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.  These additional measures include closing all airports and seaports of The Bahamas to incoming international flights carrying visitors, effective March 24 (including private airports).  These entry restrictions were broadened March 27 to include all incoming passengers, including Bahamian citizens and residents. Under these orders all domestic inter-island traffic by air or boat within The Bahamas is also temporarily banned.  This includes refueling, stopping and anchoring, passing through or innocent passage. Although the emergency orders allow vessels to depart The Bahamas directly for the United States, there are no exceptions for anyone, whether Bahamian citizen, resident, or foreigner, to circumvent the restrictions on inter-island movement.  If local authorities do not permit you to transit due to these restrictions, you must shelter in place. On April 6, the Bahamas’ House of Assembly passed a resolution to extend the current emergency powers orders to combat the spread of COVID-19 until April 30 – including airport restrictions.

If you intend or need to return to the United States, we urge you to leave as soon as scheduled commercial flights become available, or as soon as you are able to depart by boat or private charter.  Please remember that evacuation flights by the U.S. government do not reflect standard practice and should not be relied upon.

Actions to Take:

Assistance:

By | 6 April, 2020 | Topics: Alert, Exclude

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