Sangster International Airport being transformed into a world-class facility

The Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica is undergoing significant modernization designed to transform it into a world-class facility

Business interests and stakeholders say this is expected to result in the airport’s repositioning to be on par with corresponding facilities in developed countries

They cite the programmed US$70-million runway expansion, opening of the world’s first Bob Marley One Love-branded restaurant, expansion of the immigration hall and departure lounge, and upgrade of outbound security, landside roads, and parking arrangements as developments that can potentially compare with any of those at the top airports globally

“When the dust is settled on all of these projects, we are talking about [comparisons with] Heathrow, Atlanta, JFK, Qatar, Dubai y o u n a m e t h e a i r p o r t , ” S e n i o r Strategist/Adviser in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright said

“When guests fly [into Jamaica] from wherever they are coming, there will be that ‘wow’ factor MBJ Airports Limited must be commended for the tireless work and the vision to make this possible That Bob Marley

One Love restaurant and the runway extension will be something else ”

MBJ Airports Limited is the operator of Sangster International Airport, which connects Jamaica with more than 60 international destinations

A record 4 7 million passengers used the airport in 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Chief Executive Officer of MBJ, Shane Munroe said the plan is not only to modernize, but to also make the airport so aesthetically appealing that it will assume the characteristics and flair of an attraction

Munroe notes that with Sangster International Airport being Jamaica’s busiest gateway and the number-one airport in the region, the onus is on MBJ to keep raising the bar, thereby creating seamless ease of travel for visitors

“There are other works being undertaken to modernize the Sangster International Airport and provide a seamless experience for passengers Several projects are scheduled to commence this year to further improve the infrastructure at the airport,” he said

“These include the expansion of the immigration hall to increase queuing and processing capacity, and the construction of a lounge for air-to-sea passengers to provide a dedicated arrivals space for landing procedures and coach transfer to the cruise ship pier Additionally, several improvements will be made to upgrade the landside road and parking infrastructure to increase capacity ”

Frontier Airlines now offering ights from Colorado to Montego Bay

With the addition of Frontier Airlines’ nonstop service between Denver International Airport (DIA) and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay (MBJ), Jamaican travelers from Colorado in the United States now have more options Frontline Airlines, which is based in Denver, is the only airline that provides service between Denver and Montego Bay and will now provide 67 nonstop destinations from DIA with the new service

The service which started on Friday will offer flights three times a week

As the only airline that connects the Mile High City with nonstop service to Jamaica, Daniel Shurz, Senior Vice-President of Commercial at Frontier, said the company is happy to celebrate this milestone

In October 2022, it was reported that Frontier Airlines will begin non-stop seasonal flights from the United States cities of Denver, Colorado; St Louis, Missouri, and Chicago,

Illinois to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica as of February 2023

The announcement was made by senior manager of International Sales at Frontier, William Evans, who said flights will begin on February 23, from St Louis and three times per week; the service from Denver, which begins on February 24, will also be three times weekly; and weekly flights from Chicago begin on February 25

Munroe shared that the runway expansion works are on schedule and are expected to be completed by June 2023

He noted that the extension will allow for the establishment of Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs), in keeping with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and improving safety in that area

Sangster International Airport, located east of Montego Bay, has been named the Caribbean’s Leading Airport by World Travel Awards for 14 years

American chef charged with ganja possession at Jamaican airport

An American woman was arrested and charged with breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act after marijuana was found in her luggage when she arrived in Jamaica on Saturday

She is 37-year-old Courtney Baker, a chef who resides in New York She is charged with possession and importing ganja

According to police reports, Baker arrived on a JetBlue flight and was searched by members of the Contraband Enforcement Team

Seven packages made from transparent and black plastic material, each containing ganja weighing approximately three ounces were found in her luggage

Baker was taken into custody and was later charged following further investigations