Civil Aviation Authority projects reopening of airspace
The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) said it was expecting to reopen Jamaica’s airspace by 11:00 last night.
“Incoming, outbound and over-flights will begin to operate within Jamaica’s airspace as the JCAA gets closer to achieving full restoration of air traffic services,” the authority said in a news release late yesterday evening.
“Technicians from Aeronautical Telecommunications Ltd and the JCAA’s communications, navigation and surveillance personnel continue to conduct restorative work to enable the full functionality of the radar and communications systems in the shortest possible time,” the JCAA added.
On Friday, as heavy rains lashed the island, the JCAA said that a lightning strike impacted its radar system, resulting in the closing of the airspace at Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston.
The decision impacted over-flights and arrivals. However, flights that were already on the ground were facilitated to depart.
Last evening’s notice would have come as good news for Wayne Grey who was stranded at NMIA yesterday.
Grey, who said he was from Maryland in the USA, was scheduled to leave the island yesterday.
“I’ve been here from 9:00 am; it’s now 3:00 pm. We didn’t hear any cancellation announcements for the New York flight,“ he complained.
”I’m just waiting. I don’t know what’s going on. Hopefully I’ll get a flight out by tomorrow,“ he added.
Another passenger, who gave her name only as Marva, also said that her airline failed to inform her that the New York flight was cancelled.
“It seems I’m stuck until tomorrow morning,” she said, adding that she would likely stay at the airport as she had arrived there from Manchester.
