Passenger mixing causes security alert at airport

(CNS): Officials had to handle a security problem at Owen Roberts International Airport on Thursday when passengers on a flight bound for Jamaica but diverted to Cayman mixed with other outgoing passengers in the departure hall. The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) said the airline was diverted to Grand Cayman after the runway in Montego Bay was temporarily closed.

According to the Jamaican media, the runway at Sangster International Airport was closed due to an equipment problem that occurred during extension work that had been carried out overnight. This led to several flights being cancelled, delayed or diverted.

One of the airlines destined for Montego Bay carrying some 176 passengers was diverted to Grand Cayman. CIAA officials said that all diversion procedures were followed by airport, airline and CBC officials, and the passengers were directed to a holding area inside the departure hall at ORIA to await further instructions on continuing their journey.

During what was expected to be about a three and half hour wait, some of the diverted passengers ventured out of the designated holding area and mixed with other outgoing passengers. In an “abundance of caution and to maintain regulatory requirements”, the CIAA required all passengers and staff inside the departure hall to exit and be rescreened at the security checkpoint to ensure the integrity of the airport’s security protocols.

“The safety and security of our passengers is our top priority. Upon the detection of the incident, our trained security personnel acted swiftly to contain the situation and initiate the necessary security procedures,” CIAA officials said in a release.

“The incident, which affected four airlines, was quickly resolved with an average departure delay of 40 minutes. We are conducting a thorough investigation to understand the circumstances that led to this occurrence and collaborating closely with airport partners and CBC officials,” the CIAA added.

The rescreening process was said to have caused inconvenience to passengers, and the airport has apologised to travellers for the disruption. But officials said the measures were vital to maintain the highest level of safety for everyone travelling through the airport.

“The CIAA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of security and safety at Owen Roberts International Airport and will continue to work diligently, along with airport partners, to prevent such incidents in the future,” they said, adding that they appreciate the cooperation and understanding of passengers.

The mixing of passengers comes just a few months after the tourism ministry unveiled the plans for the next phase of the airport redevelopment and the outline business case. This second phase focuses on a new general aviation terminal for private jets, an extension of the runway and safety upgrades to air traffic control, but it does not address the problem of passenger mixing.

According to the OBC, the single-storey terminal building at ORIA has presented security concerns because it enables incoming and outgoing passengers to mix. Sorting out the congestion and clearly separating passengers was listed as a priority in the OBC but did not made it into the next phase of the re-development project.