Airport marks 80 years of operation

The Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) kicked off celebrations for its 80th year of operations earlier this morning.

With Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds and director of civil aviation Kingsley Nelson in attendance, GAIA chief executive officer Neville Boxill revealed the airport was looking to take their operations to the next level.

“It is our goal to establish Barbados as a regional centre for civil aviation related business,” Boxill.

“And going forward much emphasis will be placed on the creation of relationships that will assist in the further development of the aviation related businesses at the GAIA,” he added.

Boxill said the GAIA began operations in 1938 with a mail shuttle from Trinidad and over the 80 years had seen an expansion to 2.1 million passengers and 32 000 aircraft movements a year.

And with plans in the work such as establishing a partnership with the University of the West Indies to develop courses on airport operation, Boxill said the airport was committed to laying the groundwork for the next 80 years. (AD)