CJIA’s departure operations moved

In order to facilitate the ongoing expansion project at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the immigration and security operations have been shifted to the former Greeters Hall.
The airport advised departing passengers of this relocation in a statement on Saturday. The shift of these operations takes effect today at approximately 14:00h.
According to the CJIA Corporation, it is apt to note that the project is progressing smoothly and on schedule to the completion date, and this is a planned stage of the renovation works to accommodate the construction while maintaining operations of the existing terminal.
The Drop off/Check-in process remains the same. However, passengers will be guided along a corridor to be processed by Immigration Officers, followed by security screening.
After the mandatory security checks, passengers will still have the opportunity to shop and browse in the duty-free shops, which are also located in the former Greeters Hall area.
Passengers will then proceed along another corridor to the Departure Lounge area to await boarding.
Last month, President David Granger and his Cabinet were given a tour of the airport, and were updated on the progress of the works. During a presentation done on the project, it was revealed that some US$114 million have thus far been expended on the airport, while an additional US$27 million will be spent before the end of the year.
The airport expansion works are between 75 and 80 per cent completed. The Project’s Manager, Carmichael Thorne, during his presentation, stated that the project is geared at addressing four critical areas: insufficient public parking; overcrowding within the terminal; conflicts of parking aircraft while at the same time permitting larger aircraft on the international apron; and a safety area in the event of an aircraft overshooting the runway.
Under the previous administration, Guyana had secured a US$138 million loan from the China Exim (Export-Import) Bank to fund the expansion and modernisation project, for which the Guyana Government has injected some US$12 million.
However, when the coalition Government came in to power in 2015, the project was put on hold, but following discussions between Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and the contracting company, China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC), it was announced that the project would be continued, but with a reduction in the design and capacity.
On completion of the expansion project, it is expected to yield two air passenger boarding bridges for passengers’ arrival and departure; a 450-person seating departure area; escalators and elevators, in addition to its extended runway that would cater for larger categories of aircraft.