$122M wanted for Cayman airport upgrades

ArchiveJul 23, 2014

2 min read

At a size of 8,175 sq ft, the holdroom capacity is wholly insufficient for the regular weekly traffic peaks and well below the relevant International Air Transport Association ("lATA") capacity guidelines;
Only four gates currently service the eight aircraft stands, washrooms are undersized and there is no common use lounge facility for premium travel;
Concession space is insufficient and diversity and general aesthetics of the concessions offering is also inadequate, with the added difficulty of lack of storage and access for concession products;
Security screening represents another major bottleneck due to insufficient capacity, with only two lanes, which falls sho1t of lATA standards;
Check-in space also doesn't meet lATA standards for the h·affic levels with only 29 check in positions, and a lack of any flexible Common Use Passenger Processing Systems ("CUPPS"), resulting in severe congestion on peak days;
Immigration has only 12 counters and a lack of queuing space, which has also resulted in regular outside queuing outside the terminal building. This has been temporarily resolved with outdoor covered space.
The baggage claim area is also undersized and provides a poor level of service.
Parking facilities, while sufficient for current volumes, do not have a viable revenue management system, which undermines convenience as well as CIAA revenues.
While the runway condition supports current traffic mix, runway strengthening is required in the short term to support BA's proposed switch to Boeing 777 ("B777's") in 2016;
Further, there is insufficient land at present in Runway Safety Area ("RESA") at the Eastern end of the runway.
The current runway length, of 7,008 ft can only accommodate short haul traffic from N01th and Central America and, to a limited extent, South America;
ORIA currently has only 8 aircraft parking stands on commercial apron, which is insufficient for current traffic cannot accommodate B777’s·within regulations due to tail height infringements on runway zoning; and
General Aviation apron experiences severe congestion on peak days.
Priority 1 - Safety and regulatory compliance
Priority 2 - ORIA terminal capacity shortfall
Priority 3 - ORIA short I medium term airside capacity
Priority 4 – Little Cayman, publically owned airport
Priority 5 - Long term capacity building
Secure final Cabinet approval of the OBC, following a public consultation process;
Secure sufficient program management suppo1t for project delivery, and build CIAA finance team and commercial capacity; and
Develop the detailed procurement timetable with the new program management resource, aligned to the WSP master plan timeline.

Published July 23, 2014