By Natario McKenzie

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) is aiming to make Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) one of the top three airports in the Caribbean by next year.

Stewart Steeves, NAD’s president and chief executive, told a recent Rotary Club of West Nassau meeting: “Our goal is to be recognised as a top three airport in the Caribbean by 2013, that’s within a year of completing the terminal project. I am confident that the NAD team, alongside our airport stakeholders and partners, will achieve this goal.”

Mr Steeves said LPIA’s new international arrivals terminal is set to open tomorrow (October 16). “The project is comprised of three stages: Stage one, the US departures terminal, which completed in March of last year - both on time and on budget,” he added.

“Stage II, the international arrivals terminal plus additional US and international departure gates (which open this week); and stage III, the domestic and international check-in hall and domestic arrivals facility, which started in May and is planned to open in the fall of 2013. The entree project is fully tendered, fully awarded and is on time and on budget.”

Mr Steeves said: “When complete the overall terminal capacity will increase from three-five million passengers per year, while significantly improving the physical scope of the facilities.

“The capacity for large aircraft will also increase. Upon completion we will have six dedicated US jet bridges, plus two swing positions and four apron positions for a total of 12 possible US jet aircraft positions compared to five when we began with the original terminal.

“There will also be two dedicated international jet bridges, two swing positions and two apron positions for six possible international positions, which is equivalent to what we have today but the capacity is underutilized today.”

Mr Steeves said all work on the LPIA redevelopment project has been completed by using a workforce that is 70 per cent Bahamian. About 2,500 jobs have been created, with 500 workers on site at any one time. Thirty per cent of the work has been completed by Bahamian contractors.

“In addition to contractors we are creating business opportunities for other Bahamian businesses as well,” Mr Steeves said. “All concessions are and will be owned by Bahamian operators.

“We are establishing a world-class concession programme. Stage one has 13 retail locations and eight restaurants,bars and lounges. Stage II has three restaurants and bars, along with six hotel reception lounges. Stage III will have eight retail locations and six restaurants and lounges, plus a bank and a post office. This concession programme3 has so far created 200 new permanent jobs at LPIA with more to come.”

Addressing fees at LPIA, Mr Steeves said: “When we showed up the fees the airport charged the users, either to the airlines directly or to the passenger, were very low; extremely low in the region, and I think the facilities reflected that.

“We’re gradually over six years phasing fees in to hit the average of the region. There is only one more fee increase left. At the end of phase II we will be on par with the average of the region. The fee package on a per passenger basis will be equal to the average. We don’t have an average facility.”

Regarding the proposed hotel development for LPIA, Mr Steeves explained: “NAD’s role is one of landlord, so we’re really working with the developer. When the developer has their development plans together then they will engage us in further conversations on land and those arrangements. we don’t have an expected timeline right now but we do expect the conversations to continue.”

NAD signed a 30-year lease with the Government in April 2007 to manage daily operations at LPIA, and is responsible for most of the physical infrastructure including parking lots, terminals, runaways and taxiways.