The keepers of Owen Roberts International Airport have seen the future, and it is filled with people and planes.
Plans to renovate and expand the airport were revealed at a press briefing yesterday.
The improved airport will be a marked change to the structure that has been serving the Cayman Islands since the 1980s.
The first thing frequent flyers will notice once the work is complete, will be that they don’t have to walk or wade out to the tarmac any longer to climb the portable steps to board their plane.
There will be passenger bridges that link the interior of the airport with the interior of the plane, much like what is available in most airports worldwide.
The improved model will offer more security and separate domestic and international passenger holding and baggage areas.
Food, beverage and retail concessions will be expanded, as will the departure and ticketing hall.
In looking ahead 20 years, the airport will – once renovated – be able to handle more than 1.2 million passengers a year. There were 890,774 passengers in the last annual figures.
Another positive aspect about the plans is that future expansion will be possible without any demolition of walls.
The improved airport will be larger overall and a welcome addition to the Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands Airport Authority will look to the public for input on which plan to adopt for the improvements.
Aesthetically, the options under consideration are light and shade and Caribbean Colour. An example of Caribbean Colour can be seen on today’s front page of the Caymanian Compass. It’s a refreshing, Caymanian look, disguising the airport.
Those interested are urged to log on to CIAA’s upcoming website and offer their feedback.
It’s refreshing to know that the CIAA is taking the future of the airport and the country to heart.
Those of us in the country will anxiously await the revamping and we should all try to remember to be patient when using the airport while the renovations are taking place.
Related Videos
