More detailed plans have been announced for the internal structure of the Terminal Building at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport as preparations continue for direct flights from the United States’ mainland.
The updated information was provided by the Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, at the Government’s Press Conference on Monday, September 27.
“We are working overtime to accommodate American Airlines as well as Aurora Airlines,” she stated. “For the time being, Aurora is not available for commercial activity but it will be bringing in the resort’s guests on direct flights from Miami to Anguilla – and we have had conversations with Airlines.”
The Parliamentary Secretary continued: “There is a lot of work going on at the airport right now, including the relocation of the restaurant to where was previously reserved for the VIP Lounge. There is the expanding of the checking area all the way to the end of the terminal – so it would be opening up from the front all the way to the end of the [COVID] testing space in the back. Right now, that area is under a tent as we want to have a safer space because COVID seems to be an ongoing situation, and there is a need for a semi-permanent solution. In future, we will utilise that space for extending the baggage handling area.
“In addition, we mentioned in the Supplementary Budget, the purchasing of a baggage scanner for the area as well. We are partnering with Aurora [Anguilla Resort] to provide the new seating for our departure lounge…to create a facelift there.”
Mrs. Gumbs-Marie also disclosed that the Ministry of Tourism was working with other air carriers, such as Cape Air, which should be resuming scheduled flights to Anguilla in December.
She added: “We are to increase flights at the airport, and we are also looking forward to the possibly new routes in 2022. I am very excited to share that information at a later date.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism, Mr. Haydn Hughes, said a lot of upgrading work had been done to improve the PCN of the airport runway in time for the operations of American Airlines, as from December 11, as well as other jet airlines. This involved resurfacing work at a cost of four million dollars provided by the UK Government. Markings of the runway for aircraft directions have also been done.
There has been a quantity of aggregate from the removal of some of the old surfaces of the runway for the application of the new resurfacing coat. Mr. Hughes explained that this material would be used for the reconstruction of roads to save significant sums of money thereby.
According to him, it is for this reason that the redeveloped roads will be done shortly so as to utilise the airport’s old aggregate material quickly.
