Equipment failure, inclement weather blamed for runway closure at Sangster International

By Prince Moore    

 

The Ministry of Transport has blamed Thursday's temporary closure of the runway at Sangster International Airport on equipment failure as well as inclement weather, which affected upgrading work being carried out at the airport.  

 

The temporary closure affected 52 arriving flights.

 

Twelve of them were cancelled while some were diverted to Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

 

The ministry said additional staff was deployed by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) to process passengers diverted to the NMIA as part of efforts to avoid further delays.

 

Some passengers were transported by air while others were moved by buses with the assistance of the Jamaica Constabulary Force back to the airport in Montego Bay.

 

The runway at Sangster International Airport has since been reopened.

 

But Transport Minister Daryl Daz has said he is dissatisfied with Thursday's closure.

 

He has instructed that MBJ Airports Limited, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority and the Airports Authority of Jamaica each provide a detailed report of the series of events which resulted in several delayed and cancelled flights.  

 

A full investigation will be conducted into the matter.

 

Mr. Vaz said efforts will be made to prevent a recurrence of Thursday's incident.

 

Opposition Spokesperson on Transport Mikael Phillips has questioning what led to the breakdown of protocols which resulted in the temporary closure of the runway at Sangster International.

 

Mr. Phillips called for Mr. Vaz to use his authority as minister to restore normality to the country's aviation system and air travel. 

 

"It is of concern because a few weeks ago we had an issue at the Norman Manley Airport and now the Sangster International Airport. The protocols broke down. The question is why did they, because governance over civil aviation is very stringent and there are a wide array of protocols that would follow the airport itself." 

 

"If we have a breakdown like that, the important thing is ensuring that the tier rating that we have where civil aviation is concerned in the region and globally, that we try to maintain it because it has taken us a long time to get to where we are. And simple mistakes like this kind can affect, not only as you have seen, tourism in the country itself and just our own reputation as a destination," he suggested.  

 

The management of MBJ Airports, operator of Sangster International, said flights which were delayed or cancelled Thursday will be arriving at the airport between Friday and Saturday.  

 

Chief Executive Officer of MBJ Airports, Shane Munroe, said arrangements are in place to facilitate smooth processing of passengers. 

 

"There will be additional operations for passengers to be able to park and to arrive. We expect that by the end of day, we should have stabilised, but depending on the airlines, we may run into Saturday. We're working with all the airlines though to ensure they have the resources to be able to have those flights operate tomorrow, safely and effectively. And we expect that tomorrow should be a return to normal operations in the sense of passengers being able to check in, board their flights and arrive as usual," he said.