Airport to remain open as passengers navigate construction work

Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) is preparing for an expansion that will add four boarding bridges, increase passenger security screening capacity to ten lanes and overhaul baggage handling, tourism industry figures heard on Monday.

Construction is expected to begin early next year while the airport remains operational, said project engineer Alan Howard in a presentation at a State of the Industry update at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

He detailed improvements to the main terminal building, airfield, and baggage-handling systems.

Having completed the initial design, specification, and tendering phases, the project is undergoing final regulatory compliance checks to ensure it meets all legal and safety requirements, he said.

The project encompasses about 86 000 square feet of new construction across three levels, integrating new facilities while keeping the airfield fully operational throughout the building phase.

Key features include expanded passenger security screening facilities, larger departure lounges, four additional boarding bridges and a wider range of shops, food outlets and passenger services designed to improve the travel experience.

Howard added: “There’s also some improvements to the checked baggage system behind the scenes, expanded aircraft parking, and improved waste disposal and water treatment facilities which will form part of the project programme.”

Managing construction while maintaining uninterrupted daily flight operations remains a central priority for the project management team. As the airport continues operating during construction, passengers will have to pass through construction areas, particularly around the security screening checkpoint and departure gates.

Airport management is working closely with civil aviation authorities, airline representatives, ground handling agencies and commercial stakeholders to establish safe passenger diversion routes and temporary walkways, the civil engineer said.

“One important point I want to point out is that the expansion is going to connect to an airport that will continue operating,” Howard said. “Obviously passengers will have to transit through and will encounter some of these areas in construction, particularly the passenger screening area and obviously the departure bridges. Work is going to be going on in those areas as well.”

A key element of the passenger facilities upgrade is modernising the departure security checkpoint. The existing configuration of about seven screening lanes will expand to ten lanes equipped with advanced screening technology to ease peak-time bottlenecks, reduce waiting times, and increase the number of passengers processed.

“This is the checkpoint for passengers and hand luggage,” Howard said while reviewing layout diagrams with stakeholders.

“The small yellow drawing at the upper left shows the existing arrangement of approximately seven lanes of security screening. This is going to be expanded to ten lanes of security screening and added additional screening equipment. What this will actually help is to increase the throughput of this very important area.”

The terminal expansion specifically targets existing gates nine to 12, where new waiting rooms will accommodate travellers before they board their flights. New escalators, lifts, and staircases will link the building’s levels to these elevated areas.

On the ground floor, plans include enclosing the entire arrivals area to create a more weatherproof environment and streamline the route for incoming passengers through immigration before they enter the main terminal concourse.

The three-level terminal extension will also incorporate a secure mezzanine floor to manage passenger flows, directing arriving travellers safely above departing passengers before guiding them down to immigration and baggage reclaim.

Behind the scenes, the outbound baggage conveyor system is being completely reconfigured to improve operational efficiency and resilience. The current system scans individual lanes, while the upgraded infrastructure will use high-capacity bulk scanners that can process far more luggage in less time, preventing sorting delays during peak travel hours.

“The real benefit this brings is a more connected and flexible arrangement and greater redundancy,” Howard said, describing the baggage handling overhaul. “The current system relies on scanning each lane individually, whereas this new system will look at bulk scanners, which will allow us to process a greater volume of baggage in a shorter period of time.”

Additional civil engineering works across the airfield will include expanded aircraft parking aprons and environmental upgrades, including improved waste disposal systems and modernised water treatment facilities designed to support long-term environmental sustainability goals.

Project leaders said the overhaul would significantly improve the passenger experience and position Grantley Adams as a modern regional aviation hub equipped to meet growing travel demand. 

(RR)