Health Alert – U.S. Embassy, Nassau, The Bahamas (March 31, 2020)

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

By U.S. Embassy Nassau

17 MINUTE READ

March 31, 2020

Location: The Bahamas

Event: Update: Commercial and Charter Flights to the United States

April 1^st Commercial Flight Availability to the United States

As of 1600 EDT March 31, the only known commercial flights to the United States from The Bahamas on April 1 are:

· Freeport to Fort Lauderdale at 2:20 p.m. – Silver Airways

· Nassau to Newark at 2:40 p.m. – United Airlines

· North Eleuthera to Fort Lauderdale at 3:45 p.m. – Silver Airways

Commercial AirlineFlights to the United States

American Airlines cancelled all flights to the United States through April 6.

Delta Airlines cancelled all flights to the United States through May 1.

Southwest Airlines cancelled all flights to the United States through June 5.

United Airlines and JetBlue announced they have tentative plans to schedule limited flights for the month of April, with United flying only to Newark and JetBlue flying only to Ft. Lauderdale. Note: 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 and due to the restrictions now in effect on incoming international flights. Please check directly with the airlines. If you are a U.S. citizen in The Bahamas and you need to return to the United States, we urge you to leave now. 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

· All Bahamas Courier Services: +1-242-727-4165

· Island Wings – USA: +1-954-617-8804

· Makers Air – FXE: Info@makersair.com, +1-954-771-0330

· 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 cancelled 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 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. On March 30, the Bahamas’ House of Assembly passed a resolution to extend the current emergency powers orders to combat the spread of COVID-19 until April 8 – including airport restrictions. Bahamian officials have already commented on a possible additional extension.

Please remember that evacuation flights by the U.S. government do not reflect standard practice and should not be relied upon. U.S. citizens should make plans using charter and commercial travel options while they are available, and do so immediately.

Actions to Take:

Follow the instructions and regulations coming from the Bahamian government; please consult https://covid19.gov.bs for the latest information on COVID-19 from the Government of The Bahamas.
Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information and recommendations for travelers and high-risk populations.
See the CDC’s latest recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
Visit the U.S. Embassy COVID-19 Information Page for information on conditions in The Bahamas.
Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website for the most up-to-date information on travel restrictions to the United States.