The Tribune

By NATARIO MCKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

OUTBOUND passenger traffic from the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) into the US over the Christmas holiday period decreased 5 per cent year-over year, according to airport operator, the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD).

According to NAD executives, preliminary statistics show that 23,962 US-bound passengers were processed between December 20-27, 2012. This represented a 5 per cent drop from the 25,190 passengers processed during the same period the previous year.

NAD officials reported a peak in passenger traffic on December 22, with 3,591 passengers processed on that day.

Bahamasair’s deputy general manager, Van Diah, recently told Tribune Business that the airline’s load factors into Florida heading into the Christmas holiday weekend were in the high 80 and low 90 per cents, noting that the carrier was tapping into a good share of tourist traffic this Christmas.

Mr Diah described the airline’s level of business this past Christmas as being “moderately” above 2011. “The Miami route is booked at 87 per cent, Fort Lauderdale at 89 per cent and Orlando at 93 per cent on the airline’s 120-seat jets,” Mr Diah recently told this newspaper.