Dear Editor,

The following is an open letter to John Brown who penned a letter to the editor, published in the Jamaica Observer on June 13, titled ‘It is imperative that NMIA operates efficiently’.

John Brown, thank you for your letter regarding our responses in the recent article entitled ‘Travellers lament inconvenience of out of service pay stations, airport says nothing wrong,’ published on June 10, 2024 in the Observer.

We appreciate your feedback and take your concerns very seriously. We understand the frustration caused by malfunctioning facilities and want to assure you that we are actively addressing these issues.

Regarding the pay stations, we maintain that at the time of writing responses to the Observer questions, three of four pay stations were fully functional. You will note that the article mentioned complaints received in February, March, and April and was published in June. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that intermittent technical issues may occur, and we will continue to work to ensure these are resolved promptly to prevent or minimise any future inconvenience.

In addition to the pay stations, PAC Kingston Airport Limited is committed to improving the overall traveller experience at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA). Our parent company is known worldwide as a leading airport operator that continuously improves all airports in their portfolio, and Kingston is no different. Several initiatives are ongoing or will commence within the next 12 months to include:

1) Complete restroom expansion and/or rehabilitation: So far, four sets of restrooms have been upgraded and opened to users. The project started in July 2023 and is delayed but ongoing.

2) Prior to this, a new janitorial company was hired and there have been significant improvements in cleanliness despite the challenges with poor solid waste practices of various users of the airport.

3) Even though no mention was made of cooling, we wish to note that the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which consists of cooling towers, chillers, air handling units, vents, and hundreds of meters of piping is aged and has been failing more often in the past two years. We have started the process to upgrade this system; we purchased a number of air handling unit (AHUs) in 2023 and took delivery of four new chillers in June 2024. Chiller installation should be completed by September 2024.

4) We are also making efforts to improve the aesthetic appeal of the airport to create a more welcoming environment for all travellers with completely new stainless-steel furniture in the Security Screening Area and all new check-in counters. The tiles throughout the Ticketing Hall and Upper Pier will be replaced completely by December 2024. We have added additional information screens and will be increasing check-in kiosks from 10 to 20.

5) The Departure Lounge and the Customs and Arrivals areas are also slated to be upgraded as the designs for both areas are now complete and approved.

All of these projects have been in the planning or execution phase since 2023, and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz, the Airports Authority of Jamaica Board, and President Audley Deidrick are fully engaged in these efforts. We are committed to providing the high standards expected of an international airport and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work towards these goals.

Thank you for raising these matters in your letter and we look forward to the day when you can publicly share your positive experiences when travelling through the Kingston airport.

Sitara English-Byfield

CEO, PAC Kingston Airport Limited