The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Airport executives yesterday said they were monitoring Hurricane Florence "very closely", with no inbound flight cancellations to Nassau as a result of the storm up to yesterday.

"We have not had any cancellations but we are closely monitoring the situation, and I mean very closely," said Jan Knowles, the Nassau Airport Development Company's (NAD) vice-president of marketing and communications.

The storm, which weakened from a Category 4 to a Category 2 hurricane, began its assault on the Carolinas yesterday, where it is expected to hover over the US east coast. The storm is expected to bring "life threatening" storm surge and rainfall.

Airlines jave already cancelled hundreds of flights to states in Florence's path through at least tonight.

"The Charlotte airport is a key airport. We do have flights from there and it is a hub. We are monitoring the situation closely," said Ms Knowles.

NAD is coming off its "the busiest travel season" in its history, as Ms Knowles previously indicated to Tribune Business. The increased activity is being credited to the full opening of Baha Mar, and a marketing and promotional ramp-up by the Ministry of Tourism and destination partners, especially in Canada and specific markets in the US and UK.

More than 3.3 million passengers pass through Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) every year, with the airport serving 55 destinations via 24 airlines.