The authorities are working to reopen the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston by Thursday, says Transport Minister Daryl Vaz.

However, with the western section of the island expected to be more severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa, there is no immediate timeline for the reopening of the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James.

NMIA shut down operations last Saturday as Melissa approached the country; Sangster International was shuttered at noon on Sunday.

Vaz said he has had consultations with PACKAL, operators of NMIA, and the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), about when the airport will be able to allow emergency flights into the country.

“The assumption is that the system (Melissa) will leave Jamaica by the end of the day today…and that the impact on the Norman Manley International Airport is not extensive.

“Both PACKAL and JCAA will use tomorrow, October 29 to inspect and clean-up the facility and restore the test equipment that has been decommissioned to accommodate flights. These emergency relief flights could therefore be accommodated as early as Thursday, October 30th…,” said Vaz.

Continuing, he said, “We’re not sure what will happen with Montego Bay who will face …at least a category 3 [hurricane] so we’re unable to say anything on Sangster but we know it could have a potentially disabling impact for that airport”.

“The good news is that the Ian Fleming International Airport is being considered as a part of contingency planning,” he added.

Vaz told the media briefing that Petrojam, the state-owned oil refinery, has up to three weeks of aviation fuel stored in Montego Bay and Kingston. He said Petrojam has assured that all three international airports are at 75-80 per cent capacity for aviation fuel, allowing for the immediate resumption of aircraft movement after the passage of Melissa.