Airline opens direct flight to Hope Town

The Nassau Guardian

Airline opens direct flight to Hope Town

ABACO – After a test run last year, Tropic Ocean Airways, partnering with IJet Charters, landed a seaplane full of U.S. journalists in White Sound Harbour.

The Ft. Lauderdale-based airline is beginning twice-weekly regular flights directly to Elbow Cay starting February 14.  The Customs and Immigration Departments will be available at the Abaco Inn to greet and clear passengers.

Saturday, January 25 was a perfect day with clear, blue skies and a calm sea of Abaco.  Shortly after 10:30 a.m. the seaplane began circling the area outside of White Sound, Elbow Cay before splashing down.  After a smooth landing the plane taxied into the harbor and onto the small beach in front of the Abaco Inn.

The plane, that day carrying journalists and public relations people from the U.S., was greeted by members of the Ministry of Tourism, the Abaco Chamber of Commerce, IJet Charter’s Jim Swieter, the staff of the Abaco Inn and curious onlookers.  Tom Hazel, manager for the Abaco Inn, handed out frozen cocktails to the passengers as they disembarked.

After mingling on the beach and securing their bags, the visitors walked up to the Abaco Inn’s deck overlooking the ocean where they were greeted by immigration officials.  It was all smiles as the passengers were stamped in to the country.

“I wanted to stabilize the airfares and make it easy for the people of Hope Town and its visitors to come and go from FLL and PBI nonstop,” Swieter said.

While Tropic Ocean Airways will begin regularly scheduled flights from Ft. Lauderdale into Elbow Cay on February 14, a route from West Palm Beach is scheduled to start in March.  Roundtrip tickets start at $599.  The seaplane can hold up to eight passengers.

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