Residents of Long Island expressed the need to fix the airports in both Stella Maris and Deadman’s Cay.

Yesterday at a luncheon hosted by SkyBahamas, several residents spoke out about the issue of resurfacing the runway for the airports, specifically in Stella Maris.

With the airline announcing the recent addition of the island to its destinations, it raised questions of whether or not the airports are up to standard to accommodate international flights.

Chief Counselor for Long Island Ian Knowles said that he was disappointed in the state the airport has been left in for several years.

According to Mr. Knowles, the airport has not been resurfaced since the 1990s and flooding becomes a major problem for the airport runways whenever there is a hurricane or major storm.

“Right now the airport is not enclosed at all. There is vehicular traffic that goes across the runway as well as animals and it just isn’t safe for airlines attempting to land on the runway to have to consider these things,” he said.

He added, “I’ve personally been on flights where the pilot had to avoid hitting vehicles and animals.

“I think the airport here in Deadman’s Cay is simply too small and needs to be extended at least 1,500 feet,” he said.

However, Mr. Knowles said that he only wants the best for the people of the island and will work with the member of Parliament as well as the government where ever he can to ensure that the problem is corrected once and for all.

He said, “As chief counselor I’m willing to do everything in my power to see the best outcome reached and if we’re going to accommodate international flights, these are just some of the things that need to be done.”

Member of Parliament for Long Island, Loretta Butler-Turner, acknowledged that both airports have their challenges, but they are being worked on and will be fixed.

“We know that we have infrastructural challenges at airports, but with the equipment that SkyBahamas is using, we know that they are the right fit for the island right now,” she said.

The biggest issue she noted however is the lighting.

“Our challenge is to get flights in and out at nights. But the solar runway lighting that the government has been employing in the Family Islands is all that is need for night time flying and we are working along with them to ensure that they are in as soon as possible,” she added.

Mrs. Butler-Turner assured residents that all of the issues surrounding the airports are being taken care of and said that the addition of SkyBahamas to their flight is a great venture and a promising one to the economy of Long Island.