MARIGOT–The runway extension project for Grand Case Airport will not be completed until at least the middle to end of 2020, due to other priorities and projects including correcting setbacks caused by Hurricane Irma, the airport’s director Loïc La Joye, indicated on Tuesday.
After years of negotiation the Collectivité was finally able to purchase the land from the Lawrence family in November 2017, needed for the extension.
“We have to update everything in the file, as persons who were previously involved have changed and it means getting around the table with the partners to discuss and update the whole project,” La Joye explained. “We have to be sure we are doing the extension in the right way, in terms of security and to be in conformity with European Union (EU) and Civil Aviation regulations.
“The first task will be to re-route the road, and the Collectivité has requested a study for this. It is a big project and we have other things to take care of at the airport too, but everyone is pushing and wants it to happen as quickly as possible. I’m still waiting for the final figure in the budget, but it’s going to be around 20 million euros.”
When the runway extension is finished it will permit larger aircraft to use the airport. According to La Joye, the short runway puts a limit of 50 passengers on flights. With the extension done that will increase to 24 more passengers.
“It will be good for everyone,” he said. “But, the intention is not to compete with Princess Juliana Airport but to be complementary to them. Let them deal with the big aircraft and us the smaller ones like the ATRs; but at the same time, we should work together to boost tourism from the regional Caribbean market as well.”
The airport, last week, received the necessary runway lights and beacons that will permit the Civil Aviation Authority to allow take-offs at night. These should be installed next week, by the end of the month there will have take-offs at night. The second phase will be to accept aircraft landing at night.
“But, the objective is not to have flights coming in or taking off very late at night,” La Joye emphasized. “It’s more about the late evenings. We don’t want a lot of traffic at 2:00am.”
Air Caraïbes, Air Antilles and St. Barths Commuter are the three principle airlines serving Grand Case. Talks are currently in progress to add a fourth undisclosed airline.
Currently the airport is having a purge, with the help of the Territorial Police, to get rid of cars left abandoned in the airport’s car park. These are cars that were either damaged in the hurricane or left there for other reasons.
“Parking has been free since Irma, but we have lost already 15 spaces where we are building a hangar between the control tower and the terminal. The car park is already small. So, the police will track down these people from their licence plates. If you are not travelling you should not park here.
“After that we will be redesigning the parking area to improve the circulation, replacing the barriers broken in Irma, and creating more parking spaces about 15 to 20 by using some of the land on the side. The goal is to increase the capacity by 15 per cent. When it is finished you will be entering and exiting by two gates in the same place instead of going all the way around to come out.”
Adjacent to the terminal building is a large hangar, almost repaired, that was used by Corail Helicopters. La Joye said the owner’s intention is to restart that business. The helicopters were taken away before Irma, but the intention is to bring back the helicopters, one to start with in October 2018. The new hangar under construction for the airport is due to be completed in a few months.
With regard to the terminal building, air conditioning is still an issue with the compressor on the roof. Currently air conditioning is available only in the arrival hall.
“The roof still has to be renovated, but we haven’t received the insurance money yet. The airco system really has to be relocated to be safer, and we still have to make a new perimeter fence, better than the one before.”
La Joye says there has been an average 15 per cent drop in traffic due to less tourists travelling, especially from Guadeloupe.
“In January, we were down by 15 per cent, 15 per cent in February and down by eight per cent in March, but we’ve seen an increase to St. Barths by 15 per cent. I was expecting to do better at this time.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75582-airport-runway-extension-likely-ready-for-end-2020
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