Hewanorra Airport closed for emergency repairs
20 September 2021
The St. Lucia Air and Seaport Authority (SLASPA) today said that the runway at the Hewanorra International Airport (HIA) has been closed in order to “undertake emergency pavement repairs” on a section towards the eastern end of the runway.
In a statement, the SLASPA said that the runway had been closed on Sunday “due to a failure in the asphalt surface” necessitating the suspension of operations to facilitate a thorough assessment to determine the extent of the repair.
In an earlier statement, SLASPA said the decision to suspend operations on Sunday had resulted in the diversion of a flight by British Airways (BA) from Gatwick and the cancellation of a Jet Blue Flight to New York
“The Authority has engaged a local contractor to undertake the repair work throughout the morning to facilitate the resumption of flights at 4.00 p.m (local time) today. Passengers should contact their respective airline directly for updates,” the SLASPA in its latest statement.
Last month, the St. Lucia government announced the appointment a seven member committee to review the multi-million dollar HIA Redevelopment Project, which it said “has been shrouded by controversy”.
The HIA project is a US$175 million investment to re-develop the island’s international airport, “into an unmatched operation with significant enhancements to present facilities and major improvements to customer experience,” according to the HIA website.
It said also that the project which was announced by the former government, “incorporates a 30-year master plan for HIA will improve efficiencies and transform the customer journey” and “encompasses three thematic areas with improvements to airside, terminal and road access – traffic management systems”.