Airport shops closed as upgrade moves on
(CNS): As work continues to redevelop and expand Owen Roberts International Airport, the retail and duty-free concessions in the original terminal have been closed to accommodate the renovations. The Runaway Bar in the Departures Hall is still operating but there will be no other shops open until the summer, when the new concessions will be phased in, according to a release from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA). The airport is also redirecting foot traffic to facilitate works now taking place in the north arch zone.
“We have cordoned off a large section of entry and exit points of the terminal with external fencing to detour foot traffic toward ‘safe’ and accessible areas,” officials said in a brief update Monday. “Departing passengers must now enter the terminal through the new check-in hall’s vestibule doors to gain access to all airlines.” Visitors to the airport meeting with CIAA or airline personnel must also enter this way.
The CIAA said that a second lane in short-term parking has been completed for exiting the airport. Officials urged the public to pay attention to directional signs around the terminal building.
The government is also introducing a new fast-track scheme for passengers arriving from Miami at peak times when landing in Cayman and will be holding a press briefing tomorrow to reveal the details. This new arrangement with the United States will enhance intelligence cooperation and improve the experience of passengers.
Category: development, Local News
Hungry Horse = THE BEST Cuban sammy on island. Love that thing!!!
Let’s hope as part of the allocation of retail space, there are professional designers and architects involved, and that there will be a higher quality standard for the sale of “things Caymanian”.
What the hell kind of veranda is that out front?
What kind of weather is this supposed to help with it, doesn’t block much sun and the predominate wind and rain direction is from the NE.
Terrible design….
I guess you would also criticize houses under construction because they don’t have a roof.
I have just recently had to pass through the airport and not sure what I was expecting but at the very least I was expecting a better designed not just expanded check in area..Who did the design and god knows I hope Government didn’t over pay them? I have seen better check in areas in third world countries..Couldn’t they have just looked to our neighbors to the North like they do for every thing else and particularly that is where most of our visitors are from to get an idea of what a modern functional airport should look like..
Seriously could we have incorporated more modern and smaller check in desks so the airlines could bring on more staff when necessary, couldn’t we have found better ways to do signage than those little T’V’s. Couldn’t they have built the area wider so that I don’t always have to climb over someone to get back out of the check in line..
I am not one to always complain but what a waste of money for something that looks like a replica of an airport built in the 70’80’s…
Lipstick on a pig…never works!
We are still early in the process, but I couldn’t agree more. it is just a big empty room that doesn’t even feel that necessary.
The airport needed to be two stories. Departures on the second floor with jetways and arrivals on the ground floor. Have an overpass to drop people in the departure level so they don’t have to get mixed in with the arriving passengers.
Poor planning and execution and another waste of money. Put on show during our freak tourist season that we happened into as a result of all the damage to the East.
Keeping the airport as a functioning building within time and budget constraints means that gold plating to the satisfaction of every critic is impossible.
There will one day be an airport comfortable, efficient and fit for purpose, which after all is the whole point of the exercise.
Individual airlines and concessionaires can then add as many bells and whistles as their “throw away money” budget allows.
Countries with smaller economies then ours have airports considerably better. I don’t think asking for a second story is out of the question.
People like you just continue to give out a free pass for mediocrity…
Fast track from Miami is bad news as it will bring more guns and drugs….airport security don’t give a shithole of what people carry on flight to cayman islands. On other day a american guy was caught bringing live gun on the plane in Cayman! I hope they will install x-ray machine to check every single bags and suitcase before walk out arrival lounge in Cayman.
Yep, TSA are the nastiest people who don’t do their job properly… welcome to America!
In a given week, among other oddities, the TSA nab between 60-90 handguns in carry-on luggage throughout airports in the USA. About 80% of those are loaded, and roughly 50% of those have a live round chambered. @TSA on instagram has a great feed of routine imbecile discoveries, >16 years beyond the post-9/11 TSA security overhauls. It’s hard to believe how common this is!
Given the new check in area which is right out of the 80’s I can just imagine what the new stores and arrival hall will look like. Did the design team not travel to have a look at any new airport built/renovated in the last decade? Is this the best we can do?
It’s what happens for the rest of the country.
Gotta cut costs where they can, sadly aesthetics is the first on the chopping block
Better than blowing a wad of money on frills like was done with the high school. If the a/c works and the seats are comfortable I’ll be happy.
Bring a polo tropical to the “New and Improved” terminal!
Hooters!
I’d rather eat roadkill, but if you feel it would do so well here, get the rights to a franchise and open one up
Have fun going broke
Will the new range of stores be as crap as the ones that were there before?
Calculating probabilities…
Adjusting for coordinates and the Coriolis effect
Adding a 95% duty
Adding a little bit of classic CIG mismanagement
…..
Calculation Complete: Please pay the $35 CI printer fee
100% chance of disappointment
0% chance of being Impressed
that runaway bar is an extraordinary f-u to all leaving the Islands…the price gouging is beyond anything i’ve ever witnessed and i’ve been to many airports…hopefully someone else takes it over, its disgusting and must leave such a bad taste as the final charge on a vacation
It’s insulting how much they charge at that Bar The owner(s) should be ashamed. If I were a tourist, it would leave a terrible impression.. Being a Caymanian, and having to travel frequently, I am just pissed off.
I just take through a couple cans of coke and buy me a bottle of duty free rum. Problem solved.
Must be a damn small can of Coke to get through security.
There was a really cheap coke machine in departure. I hope it survives.
The airport they departed from originally will have been exactly the same way. Captive market = inflated prices. Does it offend me in a way? Yes. Does it work? Yes? Can I do anything about it? No. Do the tourists expect capitalism to work differently here? No. That’s about all there is to it.
Spot on. Every airport has rip off prices, so I try to avoid buying anything if possible. Until the majority do the same, nothing will change.
Frankly, I don’t mind being a bit ripped off when I am touristing, and if there is a bit too much pepper in the soup or the pattie, at the waiting lounge eatery, well, that’s Cayman! Paradise has its price. (I always commented to my Bracker Mom in Law that pain is not a flavor, but the pepper went in anyway)
How about a fast track system for Caymanians arriving back from any country. It’s disgraceful how long we have to wait in line and visitors get through Immigration before we do.
still ga wait fa luggage
Umm – there is already a separate queue for Caymanians. What else do you want – just to walk through without any checks (because believe it or not some people may claim to be Caymanian when they are not, and we are not entirely free of wrong doers and people wanted by the police etc either).
There is. It’s called the “Caymanian” line. If immigration don’t put enough staff on it, well that’s Caymanian prejudice against Caymanians. You guys need to talk. I am an expat but agree with your comment. If I go to London I wait a long time for Caymanian or US colleagues, unless they have UK passports
Many thanks and kudos to Tortuga Rum Company who delivered a large cake to me at curbside after finding out that none were available inside departure lounge! Made my day!
Crappy food and high prices.
Looks like they are doing a good job with the construction.
All built by Jamaicans. I haven’t seen a single Caymanian labourer there. So what’s all the crap about unemployed Caymanians?
You my friend are so wrong but perhaps you would like to come check the job site. When do you do your check ups after you have had a nice nap?
so no duty free till summer(october – cayman time)?????
not good enough, duty free at oria was one of the few benefits of travelling…..
Are you serious? My local Seven-eleven is cheaper than Cayman duty free.
Wow, how myopic, anti business, and a poster for stupidity is this? Does no one in government have any sense? This is beyond even the normal idiocy we have come to accept from our so called leaders. Just shockingly foolish.
I hope there will be competition for the Runaway Bar so at long last it will have it’s runaway profits curbed.
used to be decent…but now its just the last opportunity for cayman to rip-off tourists one last time…
There is another bar at George town yacht club who even give free ride from airport to the bar and back.
Well you know, they couldn’t close the bar now. God forbid.