No Jetways Planned for Owen Roberts Airport Renovation
- Thread starter KathyV
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mikeycanuk
Contributor
I don't get the problem. I have not gone to a Caribbean airport that has jetways, nothing beats that humid blast that hits you as you walk off the plane, you have ARRIVED! though lately for us it's just the first leg... Either off to the Brac, Salt cay or Union island on the way to Carricaou. we love the smaller outer islands!
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The problem is the growing medical tourism sector thanks to the development of Health City Cayman Islands.
Eventually reasonable projections include the equivalent of a plane load of patients arriving daily. Many will need additional assistance getting on and off the plane. That is complicated with no jetway.
Some local comments have pointed to a portable ramp system implemented at Branson, MO that might suffice for a much lower cost.
And then there is the desire to improve customer experience by not having people walk across the tarmac in the pouring rain. Rainy season is real and the rain tends to fall around the peak times for airport operation in mid day to early afternoon.
Eventually reasonable projections include the equivalent of a plane load of patients arriving daily. Many will need additional assistance getting on and off the plane. That is complicated with no jetway.
Some local comments have pointed to a portable ramp system implemented at Branson, MO that might suffice for a much lower cost.
And then there is the desire to improve customer experience by not having people walk across the tarmac in the pouring rain. Rainy season is real and the rain tends to fall around the peak times for airport operation in mid day to early afternoon.
OP
We arrived on GC once in an absolute downpour. It was daytime but you couldn't see out of the windows because the rain was so heavy. The crew let us stay on the plane for a while hoping that the rain would lessen; but eventually they had to kick us off so they could turn over the plane for the next trip.
We were cold and completely soaked by the time we made it into the airport terminal and so was our carry-on luggage. Eventually we dried out and all was well - but it wasn't the most fun way start to an expensive vacation to high-priced, first-world country. Vacationing on GC costs a lot and so you expect to receive the amenities - or at least I do.
This may sound shallow but I had just purchased a new, cute, and expensive bag for the trip along with new shoes and I was not about to have them ruined before I even got into the airport terminal. We had been wearing jackets when we left home in the chilly Midwest so I took off my shoes and wrapped them and my bag in the jacket and hugged them close to me as I ran barefoot across the tarmac in the pouring rain. I would have really appreciated a jetway that day!
We were cold and completely soaked by the time we made it into the airport terminal and so was our carry-on luggage. Eventually we dried out and all was well - but it wasn't the most fun way start to an expensive vacation to high-priced, first-world country. Vacationing on GC costs a lot and so you expect to receive the amenities - or at least I do.
This may sound shallow but I had just purchased a new, cute, and expensive bag for the trip along with new shoes and I was not about to have them ruined before I even got into the airport terminal. We had been wearing jackets when we left home in the chilly Midwest so I took off my shoes and wrapped them and my bag in the jacket and hugged them close to me as I ran barefoot across the tarmac in the pouring rain. I would have really appreciated a jetway that day!
muzikbiz22
Contributor
Personally, I enjoy walking the tarmac. Feels like vacation !!
mikeycanuk
Contributor
There is lots of $ in the Caymans. Maybe stop giving huge multi billion dollar corporations a tax free haven? Read about how Apple and Amazon for instance stash billions of $ profits in the CI and pay and grand total of zero in taxes.
Back on topic...
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Back on topic...
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I don't care if they spend the money for jetways or not. Just make it big enough to handle that Saturday busy rush. I've been rained on before, unlike sugar I did not melt.
billinwilliamston
Contributor
Living on Key West, where we also take the stairs, I don't see a 20 million dollar problem here. Most semi-tropical and tropical island destinations do not have jet ways. Many airports have stairs with a side elevator for those who can't navigate the incline As for the rain, you can buy a heck of a lot of umbrellas for much less than $20,000,000.
IMO, traviling to Cayman is expensive enough now thank you. Let's be honest here, a big chunk of what the CIG spends comes from tourist fees and the import duties we pay on the goods we purchase on-island. The more they spend, the more it will cost us to visit.
IMO, traviling to Cayman is expensive enough now thank you. Let's be honest here, a big chunk of what the CIG spends comes from tourist fees and the import duties we pay on the goods we purchase on-island. The more they spend, the more it will cost us to visit.
caymaniac
Contributor
So if Cuba opens, will it help?
AggieDiver
Contributor
I don't really understand why they couldn't just build a series of ramps connected by covered walkways. Make the ramps go up to adjustable height jetways that can connect to whatever size plane is there. Seems like about $2 million in concrete and jetway equipment to me...not sure why they think it is a $20 million dollar problem. I know everything is more expensive there, but that is kind of ridiculous.
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