MBJ presses ahead with airport expansion despite passenger slump

WESTERN BUREAU:

Despite handling nearly 600,000 fewer passengers during the first five months of the year, Sangster International Airport (SIA) is pressing ahead with a major expansion programme as it prepares for an expected rebound in visitor demand.

SIA handled 1.588 million passengers between January and May, a 27 per cent decline from the corresponding period last year as Jamaica's tourism sector continued recovering from the effects of Hurricane Melissa. However, Chief Executive Officer Shane Munroe said the airport was using the period to accelerate major infrastructure projects designed to increase capacity, improve efficiency and strengthen resilience ahead of renewed growth.

"We are not waiting for the perfect market conditions. We are not simply repairing damage. We are restoring, strengthening and modernising at the same time," Munroe told stakeholders at the airport's mid-year forum on Wednesday, adding that the airport must be ready when passenger demand fully returns.

Among the largest projects nearing completion is the expansion of the airport's check-in hall, which Munroe said would improve passenger flow, reduce congestion and support greater use of self-service technology and automated baggage processing. The security screening and immigration halls are also being doubled in size, with the number of security screening lanes increasing to 12 to speed passenger processing.

The airport is simultaneously expanding its East Concourse and Gate Seven facilities, creating additional seating, improving passenger circulation and installing new escalators and elevators to connect travellers more efficiently with the enlarged immigration area. A new western access road linking the airport directly to Godfrey Dyer Boulevard is also under construction to ease congestion and provide motorists with an alternative entrance and exit.

Munroe said MBJ was also investing heavily in energy resilience through the installation of additional solar photovoltaic capacity and battery storage. By year end, the airport expects to have six megawatts of installed solar generation, double its current capacity, reducing reliance on the national grid while strengthening operations during emergencies.

Significant rehabilitation work is also continuing across the airport following Hurricane Melissa. Temporary repairs carried out to reopen the airport after the storm have largely been replaced with permanent upgrades, while work continues on the cargo terminal roof, sections of the main terminal roof, jet bridges, air-conditioning systems, information technology infrastructure and parking facilities.

Although passenger numbers remain below last year's levels, Munroe said monthly performance has steadily improved. The year-on-year decline narrowed from 37.3 per cent in January to 18.9 per cent in May, while aircraft load factors increased to 84.6 per cent, indicating that airlines are operating fuller flights even with reduced schedules. He said the improving trend, combined with new international routes and the gradual return of hotel room stock, gives the airport confidence to continue investing for long-term growth.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com