Norman Manley International Airport
IATA: KIN – ICAO: MKJP
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		NMIA Airports Limited
Serves		Kingston, Jamaica
Location		Palisadoes
Hub for		Caribbean Airlines
Elevation AMSL		10 ft / 3 m
Coordinates		17°56′08″N 076°47′15″W / 17.93556°N 76.7875°W / 17.93556; -76.7875
Website		www.nmia.aero
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
12/30	8,900	2,713	Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Passengers			1,715,078
Aircraft operations			23,304
Source: DAFIF

Norman Manley International Airport (IATA: KIN, ICAO: MKJP), formerly Palisadoes Airport, is an airport serving Kingston in Jamaica. As well as Sangster International Airport, it was a hub for Air Jamaica and is now a hub for Caribbean Airlines. It was named in honour of Norman Washington Manley. There are over 130 international flights a week that depart from Norman Manley International Airport. The airport is located on the Palisadoes tombolo in outer Kingston Harbour; it fronts the city on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other.

Renovation

Existing Terminal Renovation

The contract relating to additions and alterations to the departure concourse has been awarded to Kier Construction Limited and is valued at $161.5m. The work will include construction of a new canopy, north of the existing check-in concourse and departure lounge; construction of an additional drop-off pavement area and provision for access by wheelchair passengers; new elevators, electrical air conditioning, public address, fire detection and fire fighting services; and alterations to the existing check-in concourse and mezzanine level to include a new security post and postal agency.

The architect / engineer for the designs are Llewelyn Davies, Jabobs Consultancy & Leading Edge Aviation Planning Professionals Limited (LEAPP), in conjunction with Peter Jervis and Associates Limited and Grace Ashley and Associates.

Masterplan

The project seeks to increase the airport's capacity to cater for projected air and passenger traffic at an acceptable level of service to the year 2023. The project is part of a 20-year masterplan which will be implemented in three phases (1A, 1B and 2) and will cost about $130m. By 2022 it will have involved a virtual reconstruction of the entire airport.

"The first phase of construction and renovation should be complete by 2007."Construction started in June 2006; the intention is for the first phase – which is supposed to make the airport an IATA category C airport – to be completed by 2007. The European Investment Bank is providing $40m (2006) project and the Caribbean Development Bank has approved a loan of $11m (June 2006) for the new project.

Phase 1A

Phase 1A commenced planning in 2004 and was completed in 2007, at an estimated cost of $80m (ground-breaking took place in September 2006). This phase comprises a new departures building at the eastern end of the present terminal to accommodate expansion to the present departure concourse, security screening station with space to accommodate explosives detection equipment, out-going immigration, retail concessions and departure lounge.

Additionally a new multi-level passenger finger (pier) that will enable the separation of arriving and departing passengers, as required by security regulations, will be included.

Other items in this phase include:

• Nine passenger loading bridges at the new finger (pier).
• Upgraded roadway system and expanded public car park
• Major rehabilitation of the existing departures concourse and related underground services infrastructure
• Major rehabilitation and upgrading of the terminal arrivals area, including immigration hall, customs hall, arrivals arcade, arrivals duty free shops and offices
• Replacement and upgrading of airport systems – public address, access control, flight information, baggage information, security control and other airport IT systems
• Cargo warehouse complex (the first phase of this complex, called the NMIA cargo and logistics centre, was completed in 2005)

Phase 1B

Phase 1B is scheduled for the period 2008–2012 and will cost approximately $23m. Works under this phase will include:

• Further upgrading of existing buildings
• Construction of a new arrivals area
• Installation of new baggage handling facilities
• Relocation of the General Aviation Centre, the fire station and other support facilities
• Airside works including the expansion of aircraft parking stands
• Extension of the cargo and maintenance taxiway

Phase 2

Phase 2, which is the final phase of the project, is to commence in 2013 and end in 2022. This phase will involve additional improvement and maintenance works to the terminal, landside, airfield and support areas of the facility at a cost of $9m

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines serve Norman Manley International Airport:

Cargo/Courier

The following Cargo/Courier serve Norman Manley International Airport:

• ABX Air (Miami) [for Air Jamaica Cargo]
• Amerijet (Miami, Santiago (DR), Santo Domingo)
• Copa Airlines (Panama)
• DHL
• FedEx Express
• IBC Airways
• TNT
• UPS Airlines

Accidents and incidents

• On 17 July 1960, the captain of a Vickers Viscount of Cubana de Aviación hijacked the aircraft on a flight from José Martí International Airport, Havana to Miami International Airport, Florida. The aircraft landed at Palisadoes Airport where the captain claimed political asylum.

• On 22 December 2009, American Airlines Flight 331 overshot the runway shortly after 10 PM during a heavy rain storm and resulted in the Boeing 737-800 breaking up into three pieces and finally coming to a stop approximately 15–20 feet from the sea. It is reported that all passengers and crew exited the aircraft safely.

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
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