AIR Jamaica Express officials yesterday dedicated one of their Dash 8 aircraft to the people of the Cayman Islands and learnt that the domestic carrier’s Kingston home, Tinson Pen aerodrome, is to undergo significant expansion starting by June.

“We have the project design and the engineering has been done. In fact, we expect to go to contract soon,” Dennis Morrison, chairman of the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), told yesterday morning’s dedication ceremony at Tinson Pen.

Morrison told the Observer after the function that the expansion will include more check-in counters and seating facilities for passengers, improved washrooms, more office space and the installation of a better air-conditioning system. The entire project, he said, would cost under J$20 million.

“We’re going to upgrade and expand the terminal building to improve accommodations for the aerodrome’s users,” Morrison said. “By mid-year we should be under-way.”

Some work has already been done at Tinson Pen, as the apron and runway have been repaved and lights have been installed to accommodate night flights.

Morrison also said that the AAJ has plans to upgrade the Negril aerodrome and that an extension of the runway there was in the books.

The island’s two other aerodromes — Boscobel in St Mary and Ken Jones in Portland — are also to be upgraded.

Yesterday, Air Jamaica CEO, Chris Zacca, said that he was happy with the role Air Jamaica Express was playing by providing “seamless connection with Air Jamaica” and he, as well as the airline’s chairman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, praised the Air Jamaica Express staff for their commitment and professionalism.

After the engine-propelled Dash 8 was blessed by Rev Robert Thompson, it left with journalists, travel agents and informal commercial importers, accompanied by Air Jamaica executives, on a familiarisation trip to the Dominican Republic.

The airline’s officials also announced that starting February 14, it will fly twice daily to the Cayman Islands.