Bahamas Fee Hikes Hit Operators Retroactively

The Bahamas Air Navigation Services Authority (BANSA) has begun retroactively invoicing aircraft operators for flights to, from, within, or over the Bahamas dating back to May 1, 2021, NBAA said. 

NBAA is organizing an advocacy effort with other industry groups and the U.S. government “to highlight the negative economic impact such onerous fees will have on FBOs, airports, the travel industry, and surrounding businesses,” said Laura Everington, NBAA director of international operations and regulations. “We encourage operators who receive retroactive invoices to share their experiences with NBAA to bolster these advocacy efforts with realistic data.”

NBAA has questioned the fees’ legitimacy, noting that the FAA provides most air traffic services for the Bahamas for a de minimis annual fee.

BANSA’s April 2024 Notice of Intent and current fee schedule detail the per-flight and distance-based overflight rates by aircraft weight category and describe the revision as aligned with ICAO’s cost-relatedness principle. Neither the intent notice nor the current fee schedule mentions retroactive application to flights predating the scheme. The charges are separate from customs, airport authority, and FBO fees.

The fees apply to piston twins, turboprops, and jets on both private and commercial flights. “Private and commercial flights in multi-engine piston, turboprop, and jet aircraft are subject to these fees. There are no distinctions between [general aviation] and commercial flights,” said Rick Gardner, owner of CST Flight Services.

Exempt operations include private single-engine piston flights, search-and-rescue and medical evacuation flights, aircraft diverting to an unintended airport during an emergency, and aircraft owned by the Bahamian government or by armed forces or governments of other ICAO member states.

Operators who already paid earlier BANSA charges will receive credit toward the revised rates but remain responsible for the balance. CST said the new rates represent increases of 294% to 679%, depending on an aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight. Meanwhile, operators who previously overflew Bahamian airspace are being credited 37% to 69% toward future overflight charges rather than refunds, CST said.

BANSA told CST that “any aircraft with a debt can be seized/detained by the government in the case the operator refuses to pay its outstanding debt. This also applies to new owners.”