Georgetown: Passengers using the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) will be burdened with additional fees to their tickets come April 1st.
According to a circular dated January 25, 2019, by the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to airlines, the facilities are being expanded at a cost of US$150M.
“We have added a new arrivals terminal, rehabilitated and expanded the departures terminal and have included amenities such as elevators, escalators and passenger boarding bridges. The main runway is also being extended to 11,024 feet and new remote parking apron constructed to accommodate Codes D and E aircraft,” the airport explained in its circular.
It said that undoubtedly these costs, along with additional staffing and equipment needed to handled increased passengers traffic, will see recurrent and capital expenditures increasing significantly in the coming years.
It was disclosed that the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO (ICAO) policy on charges recognized that such capital expenditure placed a burden on Government and airports and made provision for such sums to be recovered over a period of time by way of implementation of new fees or amendment of existing fees.
The airport said that against this background, effective April 1, the airport security fee will be US$20 per departing passenger.
“This fee will replace the current airport security fee and passenger screening fee,” it was explained in the circular.
“Additionally, the fee will cater for: screening of selected passengers; procurement of additional screening including but not limited to Walk Through Metal Detectors, Hold Baggage Scanners, Hand Baggage Scanners, procurement and installation of inline baggage handling system, expansion of the current CCTV system.”
The airport also said it will be implementing an addition fee…a passenger service charge of US$15.
This fee will replace the current passenger boarding bridge and the (Common Use Terminal Systems) CUTE fees.
“Additionally the fee will cater for use of the CUTE, FIDs, (flight information display system) (FIDS), Self Check In Kiosks; use of the counters at check ins and boarding gates; and use of the terminal building including passenger boarding bridges. The airport corporation is kindly requesting the airline to put measures in place to have this fee included on its ticket effective 1st April, 2019,” the circular urged.
The circular would be issued as the Government of Guyana prepares to take full possession of the facilities which has been under expansion contract since 2011.
However, the project has been marred by one problem after another. The Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company, failed to deliver.
The project, the largest ongoing infrastructure one by the government, has spanned three administrations now.
It was inexplicably modified by the Coalition Government starting in 2015 with Guyana getting a smaller airport though still obligated for that US$150M bill.
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