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Nassau Airport Opens New Terminal as Passenger Traffic Increases
October 17, 2012

Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) in Nassau, Bahamas, opened a new international arrivals terminal, the second phase of a three-stage, $409 million redevelopment of The Bahamas’ largest airport.

Officials of the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) joined Perry Christie, the Bahamas’ prime minister, in christening the new terminal. LIPA’s new U.S. departures terminal, the first stage of the redevelopment, opened in March 2011.

The third stage, a new domestic and international departures and domestic arrivals terminal, is scheduled to open in 2013.

Passenger traffic at LIPA increased 11 percent year-over-year this summer and may increase by up to 30 percent by 2015, said the chief airport’s top executive.

LIPA experienced “a great summer, with seat capacity up nine percent and passenger traffic up 11 percent compared to last year” said Stewart Steeves, chief executive and president of NAD, which operates the facility on behalf of the government.

Speaking at a local luncheon reported in the Bahamas Tribune, Steeves said the increased arrivals “Unfortunately created some congestion issues with passengers being unreasonably delayed.

While this may be considered a quality problem, we have been working with U.S. Customs and believe a solution is in place moving forward.”

More than 350 flights departing to the United States from LPIA were delayed during a 10-week period this summer due to the long lines at U.S. Preclearance, according to the press report.

Between June and August of 2012, an average of five delays occurred per day and more than 250 passengers missed flights due to U.S. Preclearance hold-ups.

Steeves said the completion of the $2.6 billion Baha Mar resort in 2015 is expected to drive a 30 percent annual increase in passengers at LIPA. The airport currently handles three million passengers annually and is designed to accommodate five million, said Steeves.

He also recently established service including new Copa Airlines flights to Panama City with outgoing connection throughout South America; daily JetBlue Airlines flights to Westchester County in New York; and additional JetBlue flights to Fort Lauderdale.

Source :- http://www.travelpulse.com/