The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

An agreement between Bahamasair and French airline, Air Caraïbes, is expected to provide the French travel market with greater access to this destination, an airline executive noting: "The demand is there."

Air Caraïbes, which is the regional airline of the French Caribbean. already has service into San Salvador for the Club Med resort. The inter-airline agreement with Bahamasair will now allow French passengers to fly to Nassau direct via San Salvador.

"Passengers can fly every Thursday on Air Caraïbes from Paris to San Salvador, and change their plane on to Nassau with Bahamasair. It's same day connection, leaving Paris at 9am local time and arriving in Nassau at 4pm. It increases the possibility of French travellers reaching the Bahamas. They get to clear Customs and Immigration in San Salvador," said Karin Mallet Gautier, director of the Bahamas Tourism Office in Paris.

She said the French market was an important for the Bahamas, and continues to grow year-after-year. "Our target is to attract airlines to come to the Bahamas, and in this way enable travellers to discover the diversity and beautiful people of the Bahamas," she added.

Air Caraïbes began its weekly service to San Salvador in November 2016. "When it comes to the Bahamas, the demand is there in France and Europe," said Francois Bonnet, commercial manager of Air Caraïbes at a recent cocktail reception. "We hope to increase the volume of traffic. There is big demand to discover the islands of the Bahamas."