AIRWAYS HISTORY Mackey Airlines
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airline did not want . The Civil Aeronautics Board was asked to grant an exception to Mackey ’ s license as a scheduled air taxi operator to allow the outfit to operate aircraft with seating for up to 44 passengers . This would allow Mackey to operate aircraft as large as Convairs or F-27s between Fort Lauderdale , West Palm Beach , and Miami in the US , and destinations in the Bahamas . On December 23 , 1970 , via CAB Agreement 20747 of Docket 22641 , the Board granted Mackey International ’ s request . At the time , the company ’ s fleet consisted of three Beech 99s , six DHC-6 Twin Otters , one Piper Navajo and an Aztec , and one Shorts Skyvan for cargo service .
With his company now branded as Mackey International Airlines , the Colonel was back in business flying Convairs to the points abandoned by Eastern – Bimini , Andros Town , Marsh Harbour , and Eleuthera – in addition to serving eight other destinations among the islands . By the following year ( 1971 ), Mackey was also once again serving Nassau and Freeport .
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In 1974 , the CAB granted Mackey ’ s request to operate aircraft with seating for up to 90 passengers in certain markets . Despite the competition from jets , the Colonel wanted to once again use trusty DC-6Bs . It was not at all normal to allow the use of such big airliners by a company regarded as a scheduled air taxi operator , but Mackey International was , in the words of the CAB , a carrier with “ unusual circumstances ”.
In 1976 , the CAB agreed that it would hear Mackey International ’ s case for once again being certificated as a full-fledged airline ( as opposed to a scheduled air taxi operator or commuter airline ). In a scenario that gave credence to the argument that the airline
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