AIRPORTS [CH.286 – 1

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AIRPORTS CHAPTER 286

AIRPORTS LIST OF AUTHORISED PAGES 1 - 4 LRO 1/2008 5 - 6 Original 7 LRO 1/2008

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS SECTION 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3. Management, etc., of airports. 4. Regulations. 5. Construction of private airport or airfield. 6. Registration of airfields. 7. Entry on airfield. 8. Cancellation of registration. 9. Duty of Director to maintain register. 10. Charges by Minister. 11. Amendment of Schedule. 12. Offences. 13. Helicopters.

SCHEDULE — Airports.

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CHAPTER 286

AIRPORTS An Act to make provision for the management,

control and supervision of airports in The Bahamas and for matters connected therewith.

[Assent 13th August, 1976] [Commencement 7th October, 1976]

1. This Act may be cited as the Airports Act. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires — “airfield” means any area of land designed, equipped,

set apart or used for affording facilities for the take-off and landing of aircraft used — (a) for private purposes; or (b) for non-scheduled journeys;

“airport” means a Government airport or a private airport;

“Department” means the Department of Civil Avia- tion:

“Director” means the Director of Civil Aviation; “Government airport” means any of the airports

specified for the time being in the Schedule; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for Civil

Aviation; “private airport” means any aerodrome which is

licensed under section 61 of the Colonial Air Navigation Order, 1961.

3. The Minister shall have the general management and control of every Government airport including the land, buildings, plant, equipment and facilities thereof.

4. (1) The Minister may make regulations for the management, control and supervision of airports and in particular may make regulations —

(a) securing the safety of the public at or near airports from personal injury or from fire or otherwise;

10 of 1976 8 of 1977 8 of 1978 S.I. 32/2006

Short title.

Interpretation.

Schedule.

Management, etc., of airports.

Regulations.

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(b) regulating vehicular traffic on any airport and prescribing the conditions under which vehicles may ply for hire at or on any Government airport;

(c) prescribing the limits within which the public may have access to any airport;

(d) regulating and restricting the admission of persons whether as passengers, or otherwise, to any part of any airport;

(e) securing the safety or freedom from interference of any instrument or structure in which any instrument is placed, in any airport;

(f) with respect of the issue of permits for all purposes relating to the use of a Government airport or any part thereof, and conditions of issue of such permits and conditions to be observed by the holders of such permits;

(g) securing the safety of aircraft and vehicles using any airport;

(h) regulating and restricting advertising within any airport;

(i) prescribing and regulating the payment and collection of fees for permits pursuant to any regulations;

(j) regulating the parking of motor vehicles, and prescribing the charges to be paid in respect of the parking of such vehicles at any Government airport;

(k) providing for the removal of motor vehicles parked at any Government airport in breach of any regulations, at the expense and risk of the owners thereof;

(l) annexing to the contravention of or failure to comply with any regulations made under this section of a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both such fine and imprisonment.

(2) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any regulations made under this Act may be removed or ejected from the Government airport or the private airport, as the case may be, by the Director, a peace officer or the owner of the private airport or on their instructions

8 of 1978, s. 2.

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and may, in addition to any punishment to which he is liable for contravention of or failure to comply with such regulation, be deprived of the further use of the Government airport or private airport and its facilities for such time as in the opinion of the Director, peace officer or owner of the private airport, may be necessary to ensure the safety of such airport or the public.

(3) Any person who, being a person deprived of the use of any airport or its facilities pursuant to subsection (2), comes upon that airport during the period in respect of which he has been deprived of such use shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for six months or both such fine and imprisonment.

5. (1) No person shall construct or commence to construct any private airport or any airfield in The Bahamas without the prior permission in writing of the Minister.

(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both such fine and imprisonment.

6. (1) No person shall operate, or permit the operation on land occupied by him of any airfield which is not registered in accordance with the following subsections of this section.

(2) Application for the registration of an airfield under this section shall be made in writing to the Director by or on behalf of the occupier of the land on which the same is constructed and shall contain such particulars as may be prescribed, and the application shall be accompanied by a survey plan of the airfield concerned.

(3) Where an application is made under subsection (2), the Minister may register the airfield upon such terms and conditions as he may think fit to impose.

7. Any officer of the Department authorised in writing by the Minister or any peace officer may, at any hour of the day or night enter upon, inspect and observe the operation of any registered airfield, and any person who obstructs an officer of the Department or a peace officer in exercise of his powers under this section shall be

Construction of private airport or airfield.

Registration of airfields.

Entry on airfield.

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guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both such fine and imprisonment.

8. (1) The Minister may in writing at any time, subject to the provisions of subsection (2) cancel any registration of an airfield in any case where there is a breach of any of the terms and conditions subject to which the registration was granted.

(2) Prior to the cancellation of a registration under subsection (1), the Minister shall in writing inform the occupier of the registered airfield of the grounds on which he considers that the registration ought to be cancelled and require the occupier to show cause within a specified time why the registration should not be cancelled; and if either the occupier fails to comply with that requirement within the time specified or the cause shown is inadequate in the opinion of the Minister, the Minister may cancel such registration.

9. The Director shall maintain a register of all airfields registered under this Act and there shall be entered therein the particulars required in respect of each such airfield; and such register shall be open to inspection by any member of the public at all reasonable times at the offices of the Department.

10. The Minister may make such charges as he thinks fit in respect of the following —

(a) the rendering of any services; (b) the provision of any facilities; (c) the rent of any land; (d) the rent of any building or part thereof; (e) the granting of any concessions at any Govern-

ment airport. 11. The Minister may by order vary the Schedule by

adding thereto or otherwise amending the Schedule. 12. Any person who — (a) being the owner or occupier of land operates it or

permits its operation as an unregistered airfield; or

(b) being the occupier of a registered airfield operates it or knowingly permits its operation for an unlawful purpose; or

Cancellation of registration.

Duty of Director to maintain register.

Charges by Minister.8 of 1978, s. 2.

Amendment of Schedule.

Offences.

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(c) being the pilot of an aircraft lands otherwise than in an emergency or takes off at an unregistered airfield, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both such fine and imprisonment.

13. (1) A helicopter shall not take off or land at a place in The Bahamas other than an airfield or airport except with the written permission of the Minister and subject to such conditions and restrictions (if any) as the Minister may think fit to impose.

(2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprison- ment.

SCHEDULE (Section 2, 11)

AIRPORTS

Lynden Pindling International Airport

New Providence

Oakes Field New Providence George Town Exuma Marsh Harbour Abaco Treasure Cay Abaco Northern Eleuthera Eleuthera South Bimini South Bimini Deadman’s Cay Long Island New Bight Cat Island Arthur’s Town Cat Island Congo Town Andros Clarence A. Bain Andros Crooked Island Crooked Island Great Inagua Great Inagua Ragged Island Ragged Island San Salvador San Salvador

Helicopters. 8 of 1977, s. 2.

S.I. 80/1980. S.I. 32/2006.