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Development of the Airports for the Future

In Trinidad and Tobago and throughout the Caribbean, airports have traditionally played an important role in boosting regional and international accessibility along with social and economic development, especially in the area of tourism. It is also widely recognised that aviation has played a critical role in export manufacturing as well as agricultural and industrial development of small island-states such as ours.

The history of aviation in Trinidad and Tobago traces its illustrious beginning back to 1913. Today, this twin island Republic is much more industrialised than its Caribbean neighbours and is also well endowed with services upon which business and industry can reliably depend.

It is against this background, and the need for further economic diversification, that the government of Trinidad and Tobago is actively pursuing its Vision 2020 Master Plan. The Authority is taking all necessary steps to ensure the realisation of this vision. Consequently, the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago AATT is determined to become “the premier provider of aviation- driven business” in the region.

The Plan for the Development of the Airport Estate focuses on the integration of aviation-related services into viable business options aimed at optimising and satisfying the customers’ ultimate needs. The most recent initiatives towards this end are the construction or refurbishment of the following:

• Air cargo terminal
• An airport hotel
• New administration facilities for the Airports Authority
• Expanded ramp area for the parking of aircraft
• General aviation & private hangar estate
• The creation of an aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul facility
• Fixed based infrastructure to accommodate private and charter traffic to potential stakeholders in the industry

In this regard the Airports Authority and the US Trade and Development Agency of the government of the United States of America entered into a funding arrangement to conduct feasibility studies for the air cargo terminal and the aircraft maintenance and overhaul facility to formulate a strategic development plan for the creation of these facilities at Piarco International Airport.

The Airports Authority’s strategic focus continues to be that of delivering high quality services and facilities. It is not only to act in accordance with international standards of safety and security as stipulated by ICAO and other industry players, but more importantly to be customer driven and ever mindful of the Authority’s commitment to achieving and surpassing the industry’s best practice.

In achieving these goals, the Authority recorded the following significant milestones within recent times:

• The Airports Authority and Airports Council International (ACI) signed an agreement establishing a Global Training Hub (GTH) for aviation in Trinidad and Tobago. The AATT-ACI GTH is currently providing training and support for airport personnel in Latin America and the Caribbean. The AATT’s Aviation Training Centre continues to broaden its scope in providing aviation management and security training programmes for the region inclusive of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) security programmes.
• In 2006 the World Travel Awards (WTA) voted Piarco International Airport as the Caribbean’s Leading Airport for Customer Service and operational efficiency.
• In 2007 Piarco International Airport was designated top performing airport in the Caribbean for airport service, ranking fourth overall in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• The Authority recently acquired T3 Mobile vehicles to patrol airside and landside areas inclusive of car parks. This is part of ongoing efforts to upgrade airport safety and security.
• Work has been completed on the upgrade of Piarco’s runway.
• The Authority began the phased replacement of all baggage screening x-ray machines to take advantage of newer detection technology as well as increased speed of processing.

The Airport Estates

The Airports Authority operates and manages the two major International Airports in Trinidad and Tobago, namely, Piarco International Airport located in Trinidad and Crown Point International Airport in Tobago.

Piarco International Airport referred to as ‘the gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America” since 1931, is a major air transportation facility serving Trinidad and Tobago and the southern Caribbean. Piarco International Airport, located on the larger more industrialised island of Trinidad, is 15 miles east of the capital City of Port of Spain and is one of the largest airports in the Caribbean.

Piarco is also the operating base of Caribbean Airlines, the national airline of Trinidad and Tobago. Its new international terminal was opened in July of 2001 and can be considered one of the most modern in the Caribbean. Its operating facility can attest to the following characteristics, which are second to none in the region:

• Seventeen (17) aircraft stands with loading bridges at fourteen gates
• Eighty-two (82) CUTE operated ticket counter positions
• Ground level domestic gates
• Facilities for physically/visually challenged persons through airport design re: access to check-in and Braille facility in elevators
• Arrivals/Departure Duty Free Shopping Complex, inclusive of Caribbean Airlines Inbound, Dufry, The Trini Shop, Rhyner’s and many more
• Piarco hosts approximately 16 international airlines inclusive of: Caribbean Airlines, Liat, Copa, Surinam Airways, Continental, Delta, American Airlines, American Eagle, British Airways. Charters include Sky Service, Avior and Conviasa. Destinations served include USA, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin and South America.
• Courier services out of Piarco include Federal Express, DHL, Liat, Quik Pak, Express Package Service and UPS
• Eleven car rental agencies
• Passenger throughput for 2007 was approximately 2.4 million; aircraft movements amounted to over 66,000 movements and cargo handled was over 32,000 tons.

Crown Point International Airport is located on the south-western tip of the island of Tobago. The airport began operations in 1940 with a 670 metre (2,200 ft) landing strip. The airport has undergone several expansions since then. Crown Point received its first wide-bodied aircraft, a Pan American Airways B747, in 1992. The airport is located within walking distance of some of the region’s most beautiful beaches and minutes from the Buccoo Reef, Tobago’s famous underwater coral gardens. Its operating characteristics are listed below:

• Annual passenger movements through the Crown Point International Airport for 2007 were 816,917 passengers, inclusive of 185,990 on international flights, and 630,927 domestic travellers. Cargo recorded over fifty six (56) tons.
• The airport handles nearly 17,000 aircraft movements a year including flights by British Airways, Caribbean Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Condor, Delta and Liat. Destinations include mainly Europe, USA and the Caribbean.
• Seven aircraft parking positions and fourteen ticket counter positions.
• Duty free shopping.

The Airports Authority is determined to ensure that its staff keeps pace with the Authority’s strategic and infrastructural development initiatives. The Airports Authority has embarked on a major institutional strengthening exercise to accomplish these objectives:

• Improving customer service across all sectors of the estates. To this end 100% of permanent staff have been exposed to workshops. Currently, employees are being trained to be bi-lingual through the introduction of online Spanish language programmes.
• Enhancing skills across all sectors of staff. Personnel continue to be exposed to the industry’s best practices by taking advantage of ACI/ICAO/TSA run programmes, particularly in the core functions of aviation security and safety and operations. It is to the Authority’s credit that all of its four top executives have completed the ACI/ICAO course of study and are now fully accredited as International Airport Professionals.
• Prudent Financial Management — In its quest to operate cost-effectively and efficiently, the Airports Authority moved ahead a step further by incorporating in its operations Information Technology solutions in Human Resource Management and Financial Planning.

The year ahead will bring new challenges and the Authority will be required to respond to two key events: “The 5th Summit of the Americas” and “The Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference” which are to be held in Trinidad this year (2009). As it prepares to handle an unprecedented amount of traffic by various heads of government and officials, renewed emphasis is placed on security, safety and customer facilities at our airports. We will continue striving to meet the needs of our diverse clientele ranging from business travellers to tourists in search of a hassle-free leisure destination.

The Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is working to transform its level of service to meet these challenges. Our mandate is to prepare our human capital and airport facilities to ensure that all airport users experience a safe, secure and customer-oriented environment that will truly make us the preferred provider of aviation driven business in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For more information please visit www.tntairports.com

 

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