A sudden temporary flight suspension at North Eleuthera International Airport has thrown a wrench into travel and economic plans for one of The Bahamas’ most anticipated annual cultural events, as crumbling runway infrastructure forces a major regional carrier to halt operations just days before crowds are set to arrive.
Western Air, one of the primary airlines serving the North Eleuthera route, will end its scheduled services to the airport this Friday, October 2, just six days before the start of Harbour Island Homecoming – a signature island festival that draws thousands of visitors annually, and is a key economic boost for local businesses and vendors. The suspension comes on the heels of two other carriers cutting back service to the destination: Pineapple Air already exited the route entirely, leaving only Southern Air and Bahamasair offering limited connections. Southern Air, the only daily service remaining, operates small aircraft with a maximum capacity of just 15 passengers per trip, while Bahamasair only runs flights to the island at least once weekly.
Former North Eleuthera Member of Parliament Rickey Mackey warned that the sudden loss of Western Air service will create widespread disruption for the community. “With Western Air now leaving until further notice, that is going to create major havoc here in North Eleuthera,” he said, noting that limited remaining capacity will be unable to meet the surge in travel demand from Homecoming attendees. Mackey added that the flight suspension is just the latest blow for an island already grappling with persistent daily challenges with water and electricity access.
Sherrexcia “Rexy” Rolle, Western Air’s chief executive officer and president, confirmed the temporary suspension, emphasizing that the decision was driven exclusively by rapidly deteriorating runway conditions that pose unacceptable safety risks to passengers and crew. “The runway has a lot of uneven surfaces. As a result, they experience very rough take-offs and landings because the runway is sunken in different places,” Rolle explained in an interview with The Tribune. She noted that while the runway has degraded gradually over years, the situation has recently escalated to a dangerous level, and safety will always be the airline’s top priority. Rolle added that the airline did not make the call to suspend service lightly, especially as October is projected to bring a sharp increase in air travel demand to the island, making reliable connectivity all the more critical. The length of the suspension will remain flexible, she said, tied directly to when authorities complete necessary repairs to the runway. Western Air is working closely with government regulators to resume operations as soon as work is finished, she added. For passengers affected by canceled flights, the airline is offering full refunds via email request, and all unused tickets will remain valid for rebooking for up to one year.
Bahamas’ Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation has acknowledged the suspension, confirming that relevant stakeholders are moving forward to address the runway issues. In an official statement, the ministry said project teams from the Ministry of Works, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and other key partners are already managing critical airside infrastructure work at the airport, and are now prioritizing addressing the safety concerns that prompted Western Air’s exit. The Ministry of Works is currently exploring urgent short-term remediation measures to prevent any further disruptions to air service, with work centered on protecting passenger safety while advancing long-term comprehensive redevelopment of the aerodrome.
Beyond the immediate travel chaos for the Homecoming festival, the suspension has sparked widespread concern over its potential short and long-term economic impact on North Eleuthera, which relies heavily on tourism and event-related travel to sustain local businesses. Javaughn Rolle, chairman of the Harbour Island Commonage Committee for North Eleuthera and former head of the North Eleuthera Regatta Association, said the community was caught off guard by the sudden announcement of the suspension. Even so, he noted that local residents understand the urgent need for runway repairs, as improved airport infrastructure has long been a top priority for the area.
This year’s Homecoming festival is set to host 15 to 20 local vendors, and Rolle said most vendors were already aware that the 2025 event could face unexpected logistical challenges. For vendors who were caught unprepared, however, many are now scrambling to identify ways to recoup the upfront investments they made to participate in the festival. Looking past the immediate crisis, Rolle emphasized that the suspension underscores a broader, long-standing need for targeted infrastructure investment across the island to support its growing tourism and cultural economy, noting that upgrades to core public assets are essential as local events work to honor their cultural roots while adapting to modern, growing demand.