Vision Airlines starts flights to Bahamas

Vision Airlines will begin service to Grand Bahama International Airport on Nov. 14. While the airline will not offer direct service from Northwest Florida Regional Airport, locals can flights to Fort Lauderdale and on to the Bahamas without changing planes.Vision also will offer flights to the Bahamas from three other cities.It’s an incredible island, the Grand Bahama Island,said Clay Meek, director of sales for Vision Airlines.They’ve had service in the past and done real well with it and the government of the Bahamas approached us on wanting to bring in air service from these four different cities.We also felt like it was a very good fit for what we were doing in Destin,he added.It’s close by. Planes come back up as opposed to something that’s taking you down to the deep Caribbean or South America.Vision started offering direct flights last December from Northwest Florida Regional to Niagara Falls and Miami. Since then, the airline has set up Northwest Florida Regional as its hub and greatly expanded its destinations.

The airline announced last week that it would discontinue service to five cities that had not performed as well as hoped. That still leaves 18 destinations.Vision has traveled to international destinations in the past as part of its charter business. However, this is the first time the airline has offered an international destination on a commercial flight.While prices have not been finalized, Meek said he expects a one-way ticket from Northwest Florida Regional, with a layover in Fort Lauderdale, to start at about $149.The Bahamas flight also provides a preview of potential cities the airline could offer direct service to from Northwest Florida Regional in the future.In addition to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Vision will fly direct to the Bahamas from Louisville International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International and the Richmond International Airport. Vision Airlines already offers direct flights to Louisville, but not to the other three airports.

“It’s certainly a possibility that those cities, as we establish our brand, would be on our radar for us to consider next spring,Meek said.Our commitment is to Destin and looking for opportunities to help grow the shoulder season. Some of the prettiest weather in Destin is in the fall. We’re looking forward to seeing how these main cities respond to ticket sales.Vision also will adjust some of its existing flights in the near future to increase convenience at Northwest Florida Regional.

Vision Airlines’ current flight from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas to Northwest Florida Regional is a red-eye trip that arrives at the local airport at about 6 or 7 a.m. depending on whether it is a direct flight. Starting July 18, Vision will switch to a 2 p.m. departure time from Las Vegas.With the success of its Memphis destination, the airline also will upgrade those flights from the current 30-seat Dornier 328 aircraft to a Boeing 737, which seats nearly 150.