The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

WESTERN Air flights to North Eleuthera remain suspended with no date for their return, as officials say the airport's runway has deteriorated beyond patching and needs to be resurfaced, work they hope can begin next week.

David Cox, an engineer with the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs, said the ministry was asked to inspect the runway after Western Air suspended flights to and from North Eleuthera on Wednesday because of worsening runway conditions. Officials found scores of potholes that had been repaired before but not properly patched with cold mix, he said. The runway was also undulating, leaving aircraft an uneven surface to land on.

Officials plan to mill the middle section of the runway and lay a new layer of asphalt across the entire section.

Several steps must be completed before work can begin. The ministry must finish its scope of works before the project is put out to tender, and Cabinet approval may also be required, depending on the project's value. Despite this, Mr Cox said the ministry hoped to start repairs in the next week or so.

Melanie Roach, general manager of Bahamas Striping, said her company will pave the runway and deal with the potholes. It has already begun moving equipment north and will start work as soon as it gets the go-ahead, she said.

Once the runway is paved, the asphalt must cure for 30 days before the company returns to put in markings that comply with Civil Aviation Authority requirements, Ms Roach said.

Western Air President and Chief Executive Officer Sherrexcia "Rexy" Rolle said on Wednesday that the runway's condition had "escalated" and that passenger and crew safety remained a priority. She could not say how long the suspension would last, saying it depended on the runway being fixed, and said the airline was working with the authorities to resume flights as soon as possible.