Flamingo Air Cleared for Takeoff by Bahamas’ CAA Following Incident

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Bahamas has granted approval for Flamingo Air (Freeport International) to resume flights after the airline was temporarily grounded last week due to an incident involving a mid-flight deployment of a boarding ladder, as reported by Eyewitness News.

The incident occurred on October 2 during an early morning Flamingo Air flight from Nassau International to Staniel Cay. A video shared on social media depicted the boarding ladder hanging from the open door of the aircraft, identified as a Beech 99 with registration C6-MMK (msn U-98).

Following the incident, Flamingo Air issued an apology, acknowledging it as a “minor issue” that was nonetheless treated seriously. The airline expressed shock over the video showing the boarding ladder being deployed mid-flight and explained that inspections revealed the ladder had not been properly latched. The combination of this oversight and the turbulence experienced during the flight led to the ladder becoming detached. Flamingo Air assured that the safety of the 14 passengers on board was not compromised.

The individual responsible for the incident has been reprimanded, and the airline is implementing refresher courses for its employees to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Flamingo Air’s fleet includes various Beech 99 models, including one Beech 99A, one Beech 99B, one Beech 99C, in addition to a DHC-6-200, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module.

With the Civil Aviation Authority’s clearance, Flamingo Air can now resume its operations, marking a swift resolution to the incident that briefly grounded the airline. The industry will be watching closely as Flamingo Air works to reinforce safety measures and regain passenger trust in the aftermath of this unusual occurrence.