Negril Aerodome behind decommissioned /closed

Saw this article in the Gleaner but it did not give time frame. Has anyone heard I time line? Will there still be flights on November? Have sent a email to TimAir but have not heard back yet.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=55366

WESTERN BUREAU:
The Airports Authority of Jamaica is putting plans in place to take the Negril Aerodrome out of commission.

Commanding Officer of the Hanover Fire Department, Superintendent Paul Hibbert, made the revelation during the Regular Monthly Meeting of the Hanover Parish Council, today.

"What was told to me is that it will not be fully operational as it was before and so the fire unit that is there will not be manned," Hibbert said.

He also referred to an August 5 meeting with the Airports Authority of Jamaica regarding the decommissioning of the aerodrome.

For many years the Negril Aerodrome, located at Rutland Point in Negril, Hanover, primarily served the tourist resorts located within the Negril area.

Activities were however, scaled down after several domestic flights including Air Jamaica Express, terminated flights to the resort town

Timm

Received this from TimAir


Thank you for your email. No, the Negril airport is not closing and TimAir
will continue to fly there. The Airports Authority (Government) has laid off
their employees there and contracted out security to a private firm!

The government had laid off workers at the aerodrome some time ago. The last few times I was there the only "workers" were the people employed by the air-delivery companies. When the routine scheduled commercial flights (ie. Air Jamaica Express) ended some years ago, there was little to nothing for the government air workers to do.

Airpak, a same day/over night delivery service for the island doesnt even use flights from Negril anymore, they drive them to MoBay then fly from there.

The only thing needed by the hoppers from MoBay to Negril is a clear airstrip of appropriate length. ATC is handled from MoBay (its not very far), so from a safety standpoint, the only thing to worry about is air-worthiness of the equipment flying in and out of the Aerodrome. I'm not sure how security of what flies out of Negril into MoBay or Kingston would be any different from FBO General Aviation activities at any other major airport.

I heard the airport in Negril was closing. Is this true?:(

.... Air-worthiness of the equipment...

We seem to get the same plane most every year we decide to fly in from Montego Bay. I swear, the same taped up labels have been on that plane for over 15 years (at least 8, I have pictures to prove it).

I've always wanted to take a water taxi (someone had a thread about this some time back). I think this may be the last year I use Tim air if they have not updated those planes though.

Water taxi from MoBay to Negril? Yeesh!

I think that earlier post about water taxis was more on the order of getting from The Cliffs to The Beach (or visaversa).

Please check the previously posted thread - I will be moving this post into the existing one... here is the link:

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ssioned-closed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chris B

Water taxi from MoBay to Negril? Yeesh!

I think that earlier post about water taxis was more on the order of getting from The Cliffs to The Beach (or visaversa).

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I still think it would be fun. Kind of like a ferry.

Is there a crew chief on the ground that turns these birds? If not I would never consider a Tim Air flight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by booger

Is there a crew chief on the ground that turns these birds? If not I would never consider a Tim Air flight.

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Yes. It was the same guy that handled the baggage.