SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY-AIRPORT) - On December 25th, 2023, Minister of TEATT Arthur Lambriex, accompanied by Parliament members MP Rolando Brison and MP Akeem Arrindel, visited PJIAE.
The delegation, joined by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brian Mingo and Head of Immigration J. Levenstone assessed the current travel situation, and addressed the recent media attention. The group discussed the identified issues and proposed solutions, with plans to increase capacity, especially during the peak season, which sees up to 4,000 arrivals in a day.
The peak season, typically spanning two weeks before Christmas and two weeks after New Year, witnesses over 50 aircraft movements at PJIAE. This year, the airport served nearly 1.45 million passengers while undergoing a major reconstruction project.
The new departure hall, operational from November 15th, 2023, aims to enhance the travel experience. The check-in hall, scheduled for completion by the end of January 2024, will further augment capacity.
Despite challenges in personnel and temporary space, both the airport and government ministries are committed to improving the situation. Adopting an "all hands-on deck" approach since November, PJIAE reinforces its presence on peak days and hours.
While positive travel experiences depend on seamless teamwork, recent lapses, such as the incident last Friday, are acknowledged. Collaborating with the Justice team, corrective measures are underway. The ongoing reconstruction project anticipates completion of the arrival hall by Q2 2024.
As the 2023/2024 season unfolds, the airport assures travelers of an improved quality of travel. Season's Greetings to all, and the commitment is to make the airport experience even better in the days to come.
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