High operating costs at the refurbished Ogle International Airport are proving to be a challenge to smaller operators at the facility and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ogle Airport Inc (OAI) Michael Corrreia isn’t denying that.
When Stabroek Business spoke with the operators comprising the newly formed National Air Transport Association (NATA) recently, the high cost of land at Ogle was one of the focal points of discussion. One operator, Oxford Aviation, was forced to relocate its operations to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on account of a lack of accommodation at Ogle.
At a press conference last Friday, the OAI chairman said the matter of the affordability of lots for the construction of hangars was a “major issue” for the smaller operators. “It is quite costly to them at $13.5 million for a hangar lot,” Correia said, adding that that it had also been pointed out to those operators that since “the airport will have to build taxiways and put in access roads to these lots which are costly to the airport these prices are unlikely to change.”
Correia, however, has held out hope that smaller operators will benefit from a measure of relief, announcing that arising out of discussions with them he has agreed to take to the Board of OAI two proposals. The first is that the airport “construct an independent cargo terminal and rent space to small operators” and the second, “that the airport considers a loan arrangement that makes it easier for small operators who are desirous to own their own hangars.”
Meanwhile, Correia told the media on Friday that the OAI Board has already approved 4 ½ additional hangar lots for Air Services Ltd (ASL), 4 hangar lots for JAGS Aviation and that 2 hangar lots for Hopkinson Mining. Construction of the access road and taxiway for these operators had already begun, he said. “In addition, the airport has started and will complete within another month a light aircraft parking apron to ease the congestion of aircraft parking which will benefit the smaller operators,” Correia added.
