Fort Lauderdale – Southwest Airlines Bahamian born, Captain Sean Smith, flew their Boeing 737 to Nassau, Bahamas, marking the airlines first international flight out of the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airport on Sunday, August 7th, 2016.
The new service opens up connections to The Bahamas from Southwest vast network of cities across the U.S.
To mark the beginning of Southwest daily flights to Nassau, an official ceremony took place at FLL’s Southwest Airlines gate on Sunday morning.
The ceremony and festivities were attended by Southwest Executives and passengers; Broward County Officials and administrators; Airport administrators and employees, and representatives of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
The gate area was gaily decorated in the colors of The Bahamas flag and those in attendance were feted to a taste of Bahamian food and drinks while entertained by Bahamian Junknaoo music and dance performed by local group, Sunshine Junkanoo.
Captain Sean Smith waved The Bahamas flag from the cockpit as the plane got ready to leave the gate, and the airline was given a water canon salute as it begin its taxi to take off for The Bahamas.
Of the new flights, Steve Goldberg, Southwest Vice President of Ground Operations said, “We’re thrilled to make Nassau, The Bahamas our first international destination from our growing operation at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport,” “Thanks to the great partnership and use of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Pre-Clearance program, we’re able to make it a seamless flight for travelers from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale and to their destinations throughout the United States.”
The Flights are operated on Southwest’s all-Boeing 737 fleet with an average of 143 seats. Each WiFi equipped aircraft offers a variety of products to enjoy while onboard including free TV streamed to Wi-Fi enabled personal devices.
Southwest offers two free checked bags (size and weight limits apply) and no change fees (a fare difference might apply) to all its travelers as well as its renowned Customer Service.
Nassau, Bahamas, as the major city and capital of the Bahama is the center of its government. The city boasts the signature beauty of all of The Islands Of The Bahamas and offers, culture, history, a multiplicity of activities, a plethora of dining options, great shopping, and lots of nightlife including casinos.
Also across the bridge from Nassau is the renowned Atlantis Paradise Island that offers one of the world’s largest water park attractions.
The new Southwest flights will leave Fort Lauderdale daily at 11:30 am and arrive Nassau at 12:30 pm. Returning, the flight will depart Nassau at 2:35 pm and arrive in Fort Lauderdale at 3:35 pm.
