Airports end kerbside pick-up and drop-off

| 17/08/2021 | 193 Comments
Cayman News Service
Owen Roberts International Airport

(CNS): By the end of this month private drivers will no longer be able to drop off or pick up passengers at the kerb in front of the Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) on Grand Cayman and the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport (CKIA) on Cayman Brac. From 30 August, only authorised taxis and buses will be allowed to take travellers right up to the entrance for departures or collect them in front of arrivals at the two airports.

A release from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) said that this was part of the “new Airport Landside Security requirement”.

From Monday, 30 August, all private vehicles will be routed to the short- or long-term parking lots, where the parking fees will be waived through to the end of September. From the beginning of October, the standard parking fees will apply.

Click to enlarge

However, a drop-off zone in the short-term parking lot will be allocated for those persons dropping off departing passengers. Drivers who are picking up arriving passengers must also park in the short-term parking lot. Parking will be free for up to five minutes, after which time the standard parking rates will apply.

“These changes in traffic flows have been implemented in the United Kingdom and in some overseas territories to reduce risk and improve airport security,” said Chief Airport Security Officer Chad Yates. “Keeping our customers safe is our number one priority, and these new measures in the way in which vehicles can now travel in and out of the airport have been put in place with airport security at the forefront of our minds.” 

He added, “As airport security continues to evolve globally, we are committed to mitigating risk and providing an excellent airport experience. We recognise these changes will impact our customers, but our goal is to minimise the impact while ensuring a safe and secure environment.”


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Category: Local News, Travel

Comments (193)

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  1. Lucy Bodden says:

    What happens in rainy weather? So we have to get soaked in the rain to be able to travel, rather than being able to be dropped off under the partial shelter that is there. I traveled last week with four pieces of luggage, and it was not an easy task! There were no carts in the parking lot, so we had to go inside to get two. This is damn inconvenient and not a great start to traveling!
    Please reconsider.

  2. Frustrated with Foolishness says:

    Every airport in the U.S. permits curbside drop off and pick up. What is prohibited is vehicles “standing” (i.e. idling while occupied) in the drop off and pick up zone. Police officers are tasked with keeping cars and trucks moving through the zone and are empowered to ticket those who are non-compliant. With the excessive number of police officers in the RCIPS, it would seem such a solution here would make the most sense. Any tickets issued would dwarf the parking fees contemplated after 5 minutes.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Let’s think about security for just a minute. Security against what, exactly?
    What threat does curbside pickup pose that a person rolling in two large suitcases and a flight case sized carry-on into a crowded ticketing queue area does not pose? Anything can be packed inside that luggage.

  4. Anon. says:

    There is going to be an unprecedented amount of passengers waiting in the short term parking lot with their luggage until their ride arrives to pick them up so they can be sure to be less than five minutes waiting, while empty taxis all line up in front of the building😁

    Did they really think this decision through?

    • ANONYMOUS says:

      This nightmare started when Moses “l can walk on water Kirkconnell” declined the opportunity when the new airport building was being designed, to incorporate JetWays for boarding and leaving the planes. And don’t copy him by saying it was too expensive – look at the shed loads of money wasted on what we have after spending $100.000,000 in stead of $60,000,000.
      Now picture even a fit youngish person with a couple of biggish suitcases having to walk to the door of the airport dodging taxis etc. And don’t any of the morons on this planning team say most suitcases now have wheels – they are designed for smooth tiled floors inside airports – not the rough gravelly surfaces in the car park, or the joints in the paving leading to the door.
      Why can’t they at least provide luggage trolleys at a central point in the car park.
      Even if Wayne Panton cannot run everything surely it must have struck him that this idea was so utterly b****y stupid that it beggars belief.

  5. Anonymous says:

    More questions for the brain-dead simpletons who enacted this moronic mandate:
    1. Why is Little Cayman not included in this addle-brained foolery? In Little Cayman one can park a car (or a van loaded with who-knows-what)within about 40 feet from the Cayman Airways ticket counter and waiting area. To make matters worse, the only fire control vehicles and on-duty fire personnel are the same distance from that parking area.
    2. In regard to Cayman Brac there are not enough taxis to accommodate people if several people from the various districts wanted to take a taxi on a rainy or terribly hot day.
    3. On Cayman Brac one can PARK a vehicle about the same distance from throngs of people waiting in line at the ticket counter as the current kerbside pickup/drop off is from the Grand Cayman ticket queue.
    4. On Cayman Brac, the entry into the long term parking area runs very close to the refueling depot.
    4. Is there going to be a security checkpoint/gate with careful screening and chemical sniffing of all taxis and vehicles prior to entering the kerbside area? Will the security guards be properly trained and armed? If not, this plan is even more devoid of any sane reason or logic.

    In regard to stupid ideas and the mindless nincompoops who conceive them, a wise Bracker is fond of saying “It’s like wetting your pants, everyone can see what you did but only you have a warm feeling about it”. The master mind of this plan falls squarely into that category.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Just park on the main road by the crossing which leads to some of the car rental businesses, a 30 second walk to the terminal and no parking fees, or even just carry on as normal and use the present drop off pick up area

  7. Anonymous says:

    If you wanted to drive a bomb into the terminal, couldn’t you just watch to see what vehicles have the closest access and then go steal one of those? This inconveniences the public and doesn’t mitigate any sort of risk. A CAA auditor somewhere will be happy that money was spent because of his “finding”. No common sense whatsoever and nobody left at CIAA with the balls to call BS.

  8. Driftwood Voter says:

    The only “security threat” we are facing is the individuals that were elected who then appointed the less than qualified who lack even the IQ of a chicken. Common sense – extinct.

  9. Yeah says:

    Pathetic gouging to add revenue. Just a travel tax.

    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe, just maybe:

      1. Pedestrianise ALL the lanes outside the airport curb (if truly security concerns, with armed guards stationed on the curb)

      2. Install covered/handicapped-capable walkways from the terminal to the current short-term parking

      Emergency Vehicles will continue to have direct access to the terminal, of course.

      3. The current short-term parking becomes the drop off/pick-up point for ALL vehicles

      4. CIAA employees keep their premium parking spaces next to the terminal rather than a new parking lot behind the current long-term parking lot

      5. The current long-term parking lot becomes both short- and long- term parking, the ticket machine will calculate the time – if CIAA can keep it working.

      6. Consult someone, anyone on the traffic flow impacts of these changes

  10. Anonymous says:

    What nonsense..

    I can get killed by a taxi driver crossing the pedestrian?

    • Anonymous says:

      AA believes he is back at C&W charging people for customer service

    • Anonymous says:

      Before anyone at C&W is hired by the CIG they should be sent to a boot camp at Wendys or Burger King and taught what is really customer service, whilst it seems unimportant it is the basics of value for money. Heard some crap in the name of others but this one deserves a OBE

  11. Anonymous says:

    5 MINUTES??! Really?? It takes that long to collect your things, get out, then get your bag out of the trunk/boot.

    Mailchimp poll coming!!
    Please make sure it is publicized because any person on this island that has ever taken a flight will sign this.
    RAIN ANYONE??? Not to mention the scorching heat 9+ months of the year!
    True idiots here.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Morons! These brain damaged simpletons act as if a determined terrorist can’t simply hijack a taxi…or two..or three. Beauty is skin deep, stupidity goes right to the bone.

  13. Anonymous says:

    It would take a doctor, a patient, and a torch to demonstrate just where this idea came from.

    • Anonymous says:

      A deep proctoscopic exam with a microscope might be able to reveal the location of the brain from whence this plan emerged.

  14. Frustrated with Cayman's dumb ideas says:

    Another dumb idea, not sure whose idea but Chad Yates & Albert Anderson will be the face of it and will be considered the idiots.

    Miami International Airport is an international hub with a lot more passengers passing through there in one hour than Cayman has in one day and they still have curbside pick up and drop-offs.

    No consideration for the elderly and passengers have to drag all their luggage across the street.

    Every time someone from here go to another country and see something that maybe works for that country, they bring it back here to implement on our little island and do not consider the environment, culture or people.

  15. Anonymous says:

    I’m pretty sure my vehicle can mount those curbs with no problem as I make my getaway from short term.

  16. Anonymous says:

    This needs to be reversed; taxis in the parking lot, private vehicles pass through.
    Why would taxis who sit for an undetermined amount of time get the front row seat to those who are just passing through for pick up/ drop offs
    But that suggestion wouldn’t make them any money. Makes Sense but no money.
    Regular rates apply after 5 minutes? by the time I find a parking spot regular rates will apply!!

  17. Anonymous says:

    The goal here to to make more money by forcing people to pay for short term parking. This has nothing to do with any credible security threat. We should also not follow what is being done in other countries simply to follow what is being done in other countries.

    This will backfire. People will simply wait by Foster’s or in the Industrial Park area until they are called and then there will be a mad rush and traffic jams with people trying to use the free five minute slots. Also, what about the elderly and disabled that are assistend by family members when they arrive?

    Morons!

  18. Anonymous says:

    Bless the fools that came up with this hairbrained idea. They definitely not right in the head.

    • Anonymous says:

      Where is the PACT govt? don’t they read the same things I do? like your own children correct them if they don’t dumb a… stuff

    • Anonymous says:

      So when it rains, we all supposed to get wet. Common sense are not common any more. Like the West End p.O. drain well in the highest point in the parking lot, what a brain.

  19. Elon Ebanks says:

    Looks like greed rules in the Cayman Islands I find it hard to believe this is happening there people you need to stand up and fight for your rights

  20. Anonymous says:

    Voters. Call your MPs and have them put pressure on the airport authority. If ever there was a time for MPs to be useful this is it. If they won’t move on this ask them why not. I can’t believe the taxi lobby is this powerful. This is an issue that will unite pretty much everyone on the island save about fifty people.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree. General consensus I’m cayman is the taxis are a disgrace and should be banned. We need Uber or let flex allow anyone to drive, caymanian or expat, not just the taxi cartel.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Someone please setup a voter-led petition and we’ll give them a quick show of hands at how unpopular this bogus cash grab is. We need to stop looking for new ways to obstruct people, and remove people from decision-making positions that can only think backwards.

  22. Anonymous says:

    I imagine what will happen is that people will walk to the road between the short term and long term parking and stop there to pick up their arrivals and there will be more accidents.

    • Driftwood voter says:

      What the *ell are these brain doners thinking of? This idea has to be one of the most stupid ones yet. What about the people that are travelling with pets and the crates they fly in? The guys that assist with luggage at the curb side have always been a big help to me. Instead, I’m going to schlep dog, crate, luggage etc. across the parking lot? Security risk? Take another hard look at your taxi and bus drivers! There’s your security risk. My crystal ball shows me most people aren’t going to bother with the short term parking circus. Instead look forward to people using the car rental parking lot and roadside as a drop off and pick up zone. Much handier and easier to negotiate. This bunch needs to be turfed for coming up with such a lame ass idea. I fly into cities with more than a few million people and their international airports have curbside drop off and pick up zones. Get real.

  23. Anonymous says:

    All of this contrived taxi-cartel BS for an airport that is literally closed. You can’t make this stuff up.

  24. Anonymous says:

    This is seriously one of the stupidest things I’ve seen come out in a long long long time! All of a sudden Chad Yates is a security expert? Lord help us.

  25. Anonymous says:

    So, let me get this straight…in busy, high-profile US airports you can pick up at the curb but that is a security risk in Cayman? Pretty sure I’ve heard it all now!

    PACT government is obviously looking for stupid shit to make changes in to avoid spending time on opening our country back up.

  26. Anonymous says:

    very annoying – Edinburgh charges £1 to drop off or pick up curbside. My mother is in a wheelchair and visits the island often this is certainly a detraction she is terrified on those KX ramps already

  27. Beaumont Zodecloun says:

    “Parking will be free for up to five minutes, after which time the standard parking rates will apply.” So, in other words, since we can’t rely upon arrival times, we are going to be paying for parking.

    What is the rationale? If you can afford to fly, you can afford to either take a taxi or pay for parking? Thanks, guys. Very timely additional costs to an already escalating cost of living.

  28. Anonymous says:

    Jihadi 1: Where can we strike terror into the hearts of the infidels?

    Jihadi 2: Grand Cayman

    Jihadi 1: Where the **** in Allah’s name is that????

  29. Anon says:

    This is a joke. The airport was already terribly designed and clearly terrible value for money at 100 million bucks – could have done so much more with the budget and it’s by by no means world class – and now they ban drop off which every major airport in the world in countries with actual security risks all have. More inept cayman leadership. It’s unbelievable how incompetent most of the government leaders are.

    • Anonymous says:

      Is it unbelievable? Being elected by 300 of your neighbors doesn’t make you more intelligent or possess knowledge to develop and implement sound policies.

  30. Anonymous says:

    That’s the problem with have a monopoly in anything. Mr Anderson worked in one monopoly and now heads another.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Such BS. Corrupt. Do you really think EVERYONE on your island is dumb enough to know why you are really doing this? And your “look over there” excuses of security and what’s being done elsewhere, blah, blah, blah, is even more insulting.
    Real answer here, control most amount of money to your pocket of choice. Anyone believing otherwise, sorry, but take the wool off your eyes…or keep your head in the sand.

  32. Anonymous says:

    Due to technical difficulties the Airport will be non functional to all costumers till the UK is forced to take over. We are sorry for any inconvenience we have caused the past 20 years and are working very very very hard to spend what little money we have left from the last loan. Thank you for your patience.

    • Anon says:

      We should have uk nationals running all services and governments departments. Would make them way more efficient, accountable and less corrupt.

  33. Anonymous says:

    This is in line with the new regulation that objects cannot be transferred from an individual who is quarantining to a non-quarantining person. A person who breaks this law is liable on summary conviction to a fine of ten thousand dollars and to imprisonment for two years.

    Mind boggling! 🤯🤯🤯

  34. Anonymous says:

    Dart needs to build an airport for expats and non CIG sponsored people to use now.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Mind boggling. The UK is not Cayman.

    What about disabled people, pregnant women, elderly and families with small children?

    • Anonymous says:

      It doesn’t apply in the UK – Yates is talking BS. In the UK they have started charging people for kerbside drop off and pick up, not banning it. There is a different agenda here.

      • secret says:

        the kerbside drop offs in the UK are a damm site more then 2 metres and are in fact more like 30 metres !!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      They don’t care about about disabled people, pregnant women, the elderly and families with small children….. All they are interested in is more money!

      • Anonymous says:

        I agree, I can’t imagine picking up or dropping off my elderly parents with their luggage and crossing the driveway, having to help them cross the driveway while carrying their luggage. The same goes for disable passengers and families with small children. There may need to be a taxi service that takes you from the parking lot to the front with your family members that need assistance. That’s not a good idea but it would be safer than having them cross the driveway with their luggage. This will be a nightmare for families needing assistance. The results will be a sad scene.

  36. Anonymous says:

    Surprised no one has commented on the other obvious issue with that diagram – the fact that the employee parking takes up almost as much space as long term parking and is right next to the airport. Oh and is paved unlike long term. And has no trolley park. So passengers with luggage get to drag their bags across the unpacked lot in all weathers and schlep to the building, assuming they can find space in the long term lot, because god forbid we should inconvenience the airport staff.

  37. Anonymous says:

    Stupid is as stupid does.

  38. Anonymous says:

    Heathrow Terminal 5 has bridge from parking lot. In Manchester u can drop off and pick up. Same in Miami. But for us experts advise on security if diff than Miami. Why? Because we r less intelligent than–

  39. Anonymous says:

    Mr Yates and the CIAA must have had a heads up about the Taliban getting back in power..I doubt Cayman is on their radar though..

    • Brian Tomlinson says:

      This is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. It reminds me of other “politician traffic designs” that we have suffered through in the past.

  40. Robert Mugabe IV says:

    “Welcome to the Cayman Islands, please use the most expensive taxis known to mankind which are parked kerbside. For those of you lucky enough who are being picked up by family or friends please take a hike first, in the scorching sun or lovely cooling rain.”

    “…….new Airport Landside Security requirement”. Can someone explain what the old Airport Landside Security requirement was?
    What is going on? The CIAA are paying someone to come up with this nonsense. Beyond farcical.

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