AAJ Urged to Continue to Innovate and Adapt to Ensure Aviation Infrastructure Meets Global Standards

The Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) has been urged to continue to innovate and adapt, to ensure that the country’s aviation infrastructure meets the highest efficiency, safety, sustainability and global standards.

The charge has been given by Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz. Addressing the AAJ’s 50th Anniversary Gala Awards Banquet at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Sunday, September 22, Mr. Vaz gave his Ministry’s commitment to “working together towards enhancing the capacity and capability of our airports, ensuring that they remain competitive”.

“The journey of modernisation and growth is far from over. Together, we will ensure that our airports remain competitive gateways to growth and development in an evolving global landscape,” he said.

Reflecting on Jamaica’s progress since the AAJ began operations on September 1, 1974, Minister Vaz emphasised the undeniable link between transportation infrastructure and economic development.

He cited an article in a 1981 publication, titled ‘Airports in Developing Nations. World Bank Helps with Financing, Expert Guidance’, which stated: “As a nation begins to find its place in the worldwide economy, it must develop basic systems of production and distribution, both within its own borders and abroad. One essential component of a distribution system is transportation, and in the modern world the most efficient transportation system is often by air.”

Minister Vaz affirmed that the statement remains as relevant today as it was 43 years ago.

Highlighting Jamaica’s evolution from dependency on external loans to financing its own infrastructure, he cited the pivotal role of the AAJ, which owns three international airports and three domestic aerodromes.

He credited visionary leadership and sustained commitment for the expansion of the Ian Fleming International Airport (IFIA), now accommodating larger aircraft like American Airlines’ Embraer 175.

Mr. Vaz also pointed out that American Airlines’ daily flights, which will begin on December 5, 2024, mark a significant milestone, cementing IFIA as a key gateway for economic activity along Jamaica’s northeastern coast.

The Minister argued that the expansion is truly a game-changer, and that the growth of air travel through IFIA will have a ripple effect, creating billions of dollars in economic opportunities for Jamaicans.

“This will mean an unprecedented number of arrivals and departures in and out of the Ian Fleming International Airport. For 2024, as the country experiences this unprecedented growth in not just its economic affairs, but also in various sectors, including transport, we must acknowledge that we all have a role to play in securing the economic future that we all dream of for Jamaica land we love,” Mr. Vaz said.

He also praised the AAJ for its resilience through challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. “In 50 years, we have seen many changes… a once-in-a-century pandemic, and still we have managed to remain focused, determined and credible,” the Minister said.

The AAJ used the event to recognise the contributions of 105 staff members of the AAJ, Norman Manley International Airport (PAC Kingston Airports Ltd). and Sangster International Airport (MBJ Airports Ltd.), who have given between five and 39 years to the AAJ as well as the nation’s airports in its 50-year history.