Pro’s
Ease of travel for passengers departing sxm in route to the U.S.
Connection time with flights in the US would be shorter.
Improvement to airport facility.
Economic impact. Approximately 25 US CBP will be station in SXM they will require housing and other living necessities contributing to the economy.
Increased transit passenger traffic from neighboring islands.
Potential increase of more flights to SXM from the US in non-international Airports?
Con’s
At this point getting the airport back to pre-Irma levels should be the priority.
No information has been made public to determine the cost of such facility. What would the capital investment required be to make this a reality? An ROI and Cost/Benefit analysis must be done before a decision is made on this topic.
Would the already high fees paid by traveler within their tickets be increased even more? The higher the airfare to/from SXM imposed on travelers that are price sensitive will force them to choose less expensive destinations in the Caribbean e.g. Aruba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic….etc.
Since approximately 70% of the traffic to PJIA is from the US., does this mean that 70% of the airport has to be assigned to pre-clearance?
How would this affect the duty free and other businesses already established? Or the services to those not traveling to the US?
https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com-k2&view=item&id=27837:shta-country-before-self,-transparency,-integrity,-objectivity-should-be-the-name-of-the-game&Itemid=450
