PHOTO
Qatar has entered into a new air services agreement with the government of Bahamas, as it seeks to further bolster its national carrier’s international connectivity.
The agreement was signed on Monday by the Gulf state’s Minister of Transport Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti and Bahamas’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Isaac Chester Cooper.
The deal “comes in the context of connecting Qatar with air services agreements that open airspaces for the national carrier to fly to more destinations around the world,” according to a statement posted by the Ministry of Transport.
There were no further details disclosed regarding the agreement.
Last year, Cooper met with Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker to discuss the possibility of the flag carrier setting up an aviation hub in the Bahamas and establishing an interline booking arrangement with Bahamasair. The hub was envisioned to cater to Latin America and the wider Western Hemisphere.
In early 2021, Bahamas took full control of its sovereign airspace, which was previously managed by the United States and Cuba. The move was predicted to yield around $300 million to more than $350 million over a ten-year period.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
