US$2M air bridges commissioned at CJIA

Mar 28, 2023 News

– as British Airways touches down to commence twice-weekly flights

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Public Works on Monday commissioned the two new US$2 million boarding bridges at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

At a simple ceremony held at the airport yesterday, Chairman of the CJIA board, Sanjeev Datadin said that the boarding bridges which are called bridges five and six are an integral part of the development of the airport. He noted that these bridges are essential because in the past they had an apron and no way to get people off the plane and into the building.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill in his brief remarks said that the two new boarding bridges are important in the modernisation of the CJIA. He explained that  when they came to government in August of 2020 one of the first things they indicated and remain consistent while they were in the Opposition (2015 to 2020) that they were not going to accept the reduce footprint and they were not going to accept the reduce approach to the modernization of the CJIA.

According to Edghill in 2015 when the airport contract was signed, it was envisaged that they would have eight boarding bridges. “When we came to government we met four, we said to the contractor at that time we are holding you accountable to the original contract that was signed in 201. We are holding you accountable to what was agreed on and what was designed and as a result of that, we made every effort to negotiate a new arrangement,” he stated.

British Airways which arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Monday evening.

The minister noted that these bridges have been functional for a number of months and have received dozens of flights. Kaieteur News had reported that it was in September 2021, when the Public Works Ministry awarded a contract for US$2M to a local company,Total Solutions, for the supply of two additional air bridges for the airport.

This publication reported that the Ministry paid some US$350,000 more for two air bridges when compared to a similar purchase made by the previous administration. However, it was clarified that the new air bridges are for larger code D and E size aircraft. These are the wide-bodied aircraft used for transatlantic flights like the British Airways (BA) aircraft. The British Airways on Monday touched down at the CJIA and is expected to resume flights twice weekly to Guyana via St. Lucia.

• British Airways, Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, Sanjeev Datadin