Frequently Asked Questions Before Traveling to the Bahamas
Makers Air (FAA Certificate number N5CA865Y) is a certificated On-Demand / Commuter Air Carrier and holds Economic Authority issued by The Department of Transportation. All flights provided by Makers Air are conducted in accordance with 14 CFR Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations
We have been in business since 2002 with our base of operations at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. We offer both private charters and scheduled service, as well as freight service, to numerous destinations in the Bahamas.
This Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions under which Nealco Air Charters Services, Inc. d.b.a. Makers Air with offices at 2331 NW 55th Court, Hangar 19, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309, (henceforth “Operator”, “us”, “we”) in return for payment in the amount indicated as the total cost for airfare, agrees to provide you (“Passenger”, “you”, “your”) with air transportation services.
By purchasing your Makers Air ticket, you acknowledge your agreement to these Terms and Conditions.
The origin and destination cities for each flight leg, the dates and times of the outbound and return flights, and the amount and terms for payment will be printed on the ticket.
The particular flight or flights will then be flagged in our system and credit must be used within 12 months of the date of cancellation. The net amount of the credit will remain in escrow until it is either used or expires. Upon expiration (12 months), all monies are forfeited by the Passenger. Extensions beyond one year are not possible. Passengers who do not notify Makers Air at least 8 hours in advance of their cancellation or change request for a future flight voucher forfeit their right to credit for future travel. Changes and cancellations can only be made by emailing info@makersair.com or completing a Travel Reschedule Form. The time stamp on your email or submission form to us must reflect the 24-hour cutoff or no credit will be preserved. All changes must be submitted via the above two choices: a voice message left to this effect is not sufficient. No credit will be issued for a cancellation or schedule change made within 24 hours of departure time. In this instance, the entire airfare price is forfeited.
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***If assistance is needed through the Health Visa process, please contact the Health Visa Compliance Team***
(242) 502-0829 healthvisa@bahamas.com
We appreciate your patience as we navigate this fluid situation. All of us at Makers Air look forward to making your next Out Island experience the most memorable one yet!
The preferred form of payment is credit card. We take MasterCard, VISA, Discover and American Express.
Any freight invoices that go unpaid after 30 days will be subject to late charges.
Acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and payment in full are required to secure tickets. Reservations may be made directly online at our website, MakersAir.com, or by calling (954) 771-0330. Makers Air accepts American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. You will receive a confirmation itinerary via email for all tickets and charters.
Please note that all tickets are non-refundable. No changes can be made to your ticket once you are within 8 hours of departure time. Should your travel plans change, please complete a Makers Air Travel Reschedule Form. Change fees will apply as follows:
Makers Air is located at 2331 NW 55th Court, Hangar 19, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.
Approximate drive time to Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) – 20 minutes.
Approximate drive time to Miami International Airport (MIA) – 35-45 minutes.
Approximate drive time to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) – 35-45 minutes
From I-95: Take the Commercial Blvd exit (#32) and head west approximately 2 miles to NW 21st avenue. Make a right turn on NW 21st avenue and follow the road about three quarters of a mile.
From the Turnpike: Take the Commercial Blvd exit (#62) and head east approximately 3 miles to NW 21st avenue. Make a left turn on NW 21st avenue and follow the road about three quarters of a mile.
We are located on the right-hand side of the road in hangar #19. You will see a sign above the bay door that says Makers Air. The office and lobby are located on the left side of the building. Makers Air provides complimentary valet parking for our passengers.
All passengers must arrive and check-in NO LATER than 60 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
On all scheduled service fares, the price on your itinerary includes all applicable taxes and fees. However, extra baggage charges, if applicable, are NOT included in this price. On private charters, certain landing fees, customs overtime fees, etc. may not be included in the quoted price. This will depend on the specific charter details (time, destination, etc.) which will be explained by our Charter Coordinator to you.
The average duty is 45% of the total landed value ($ value of item + any insurance premium + ALL shipping costs) of your items. However, a few common items are either free or somewhat less. Duty will be collected at the port-of-entry for all parcels being shipped to: Chub Cay, Great Harbour Cay, North Eleuthera, Rock Sound, San Andros, Fresh Creek, Congo Town, Cat Island. You, the shipper, are responsible for being aware of and paying for, all duties and levies applicable to your package.
NOTE: If a parcel contains a repair/replacement part for a vessel, and you submit a valid cruising permit to us at time of delivery, you may only be subject to entry and processing fees. However, not all replacement parts fall under this condition, so please contact the freight department with any questions.
If a parcel contains building materials (materials used in the structure of building), you may only be subject to entry and processing fees. Please visit www.bahamas.gov.bs for information on duties, exemptions, levies, VAT, etc.
Special handling charges may apply on exceptionally bulky or heavy items, repackaging, storage, Hazmat, forklift, domestic shipping, etc. Storage fees will apply to parcels left at our facility for over 1 week without contact or shipment information.
You may ship perishable items. Perishable items always fly at the Priority Rush Rate as we cannot store them. All deliveries of perishable items should be individually coordinated with our Freight Department to ensure prompt and expedited delivery.
Yes, a minor can travel unaccompanied as long as they have a notarized permission letter with both parents signatures on it. Additionally, a copy of this notarized letter must be emailed to our Reservations team at least 24 hours in advance at info@makersair.com.
Each ticketed passenger (with the exception of lap babies) may check up to 40 lbs. of baggage at no charge. Anything over 40 lbs will be charged an Excess Baggage Fee of $1.75 per pound and is not guaranteed to make the flight, unless a Guaranteed Cargo Delivery block was purchased at least 24 hours in advance. Please see next question below for further details regarding excess baggage.
Pets are welcome to fly with us as long as we are notified AT THE TIME OF BOOKING and all other rules and regulations are followed. Due to regulations, you must call the office, prior to booking your flight, at 954-771-0330 to confirm that there is space available on your flight for your pet. Minimum pet fee is $35 or $2.00 per pound, whichever is greater. The “per pound” pet charge will include the weight of the crate or “carrier”. Pet must remain confined to an FAA-approved carrier for the duration of the flight. Please note that while in our lobby, all pets must remain in their crate or on their leash.
If you are traveling aboard our private charter aircraft (N633AH), only one pet up to 10 lbs is allowed and must remain confined to an FAA-approved carrier for the duration of the flight.
Upon your return to the U.S., the aircraft will taxi immediately to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol offices at 5301 East Perimeter Road, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309. All items must be removed from the aircraft and each passenger is responsible for his/her own bags. Please stay with your pilot during this process and do not leave the building until instructed to do so. PLEASE NOTE: No mobile phone use is allowed for phone calls or texting while you are in the Customs building.
In order for your unaccompanied parcel to be shipped to Staniel Cay, you must register with Click2Clear. We are unable to ship anything for you without this registration. Additionally, we will need your receipt(s) for the items we are sending. This is required for customs – both U.S. Customs at departure and Bahamas Customs upon arrival. When you place an order, please ask the supplier to include an invoice/receipt and contact information for the recipient. Please note that you are responsible for payment of all duties, levies, and required broker fees. All packages shipped to Staniel Cay MUST include:
Bahamian Law allows Duty Free (into the Bahamas):
$100 total of duty-free items to visitors
U.S. Customs Allowance (into the U.S):
Each passenger is allowed 40 lbs of baggage at no charge. Anything over 40 lbs will be charged an excess baggage weight fee of $1.75 per pound and is NOT guaranteed to make your flight. The only way to guarantee excess baggage to make your flight is if a Guaranteed Cargo Delivery block is purchased at least 24 hours in advance. It is important to note that any items that fly unaccompanied (including passenger excess luggage and guaranteed cargo delivery) are subject to duty and must have receipts and invoices attached. You are responsible for the payment of that duty.
There are many options for transportation to our hanger – car service, rental cars, Uber, Lyft, and taxis. Please feel free to contact our Reservations team should you desire further information.
Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in the Bahamas.
Makers Air provides complimentary valet services for our passengers. Simply pull into the Makers Air lot and one of our friendly valet attendants will assist you. Self-parking is not available. Makers Air is not responsible for vehicles or their contents. Please note long term parking is no longer available.
Thank you for reaching out to the Makers Air Freight Department! We will respond to you shortly. In the meantime, we are excited to announce that Makers Air is fully compliant with the new Click2Clear program implemented by the Bahamas Government. It is mandatory that anyone (Bahamian or US residents) that ship items into the Bahamas be registered online for this new system.
It is extremely important to note that your name on the Click2Clear account must exactly match the name on your packages. If this name is different from your previous shipments with us, it is vital that you update your Makers Air account with the valid name as soon as possible in order to avoid any delays or fines attached to your shipments.
Change & Cancellation Policy:
This Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions under which Nealco Air Charters Services, Inc. d.b.a. Makers Air with offices at 2331 NW 55th Court, Hangar 19, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309, (henceforth “Operator”, “us”, “we”) in return for payment in the amount indicated as the total cost for airfare, agrees to provide you (“Passenger”, “you”, “your”) with air transportation services.
By purchasing your Makers Air ticket, you acknowledge your agreement to these Terms and Conditions.
The origin and destination cities for each flight leg, the dates and times of the outbound and return flights, and the amount and terms for payment will be printed on the ticket.
The particular flight or flights will then be flagged in our system and credit must be used within 12 months of the date of cancellation. The net amount of the credit will remain in escrow until it is either used or expires. Upon expiration (12 months), all monies are forfeited by the Passenger. Extensions beyond one year are not possible. Passengers who do not notify Makers Air at least 8 hours in advance of their cancellation or change request for a future flight voucher forfeit their right to credit for future travel. Changes and cancellations can only be made by emailing info@makersair.com or completing a Travel Reschedule Form. The time stamp on your email or submission form to us must reflect the 24-hour cutoff or no credit will be preserved. All changes must be submitted via the above two choices: a voice message left to this effect is not sufficient. No credit will be issued for a cancellation or schedule change made within 24 hours of departure time. In this instance, the entire airfare price is forfeited.