GAIA preparing for more hectic periods after experiencing busiest day for the year

The Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) on Thursday experienced its busiest day of the year, and anticipating that this paves the way for a busy winter season, officials are putting measures in place to handle the increased traffic.

Chief Executive Officer of GAIA Inc. Hadley Bourne.

“It’s early days in the winter season. Normally, we would not reach our peak capacity in terms of the busy day [until] December. This is an indication of what the winter season and tourist season is looking like for Barbados for this year,” Chief Executive Officer of GAIA Inc. Hadley Bourne told members of the media as he led them on a tour.

Several planes were on the tarmac at the Grantley Adams International Airport.

He said that because of the hike in air-to-sea passenger numbers, the winter season will have more busy days during the period than usual, rather than a specific peak period.

“We have plans in place to repurpose the Concord facility to assist in those peak traffic [times], but that would happen maybe later in December,” he said.

Standing room only this afternoon in the departure lounge.

“You have a cruise ship that is probably taking 4 000 to 5 000 passengers…. You have to be able to handle those. That is seven or eight [wide body planes] alone to just take those passengers for that one cruise ship.”

Though Bourne welcomed the increased traffic, he admitted that there will be some challenges as the airport deals with the numbers throughout the winter season.

BTMI Product Development representative Chrispen Hackett distributed Barbados memorabilia to visitors departing the island.

“Why we see it as a challenge is the timing; the air-to-sea arrivals and departures would then also come invariably around the same time as our regular commercial traffic. So it puts an operational challenge on our infrastructure. We were designed to handle between 1 400 and 1 600 passengers an hour, and at peak, I think we will be roughly around 3 000 or so. That is why for us it is something we [are monitoring] and would have put various plans in place with the stakeholders,” the airport CEO explained.

Despite the logistical challenges, Bourne is optimistic about the winter season since the peak day for activity, which normally comes in December, has come in November. (SB)