Aviation Week begins

The important role that the aviation industry has and continues to play in the development of this country is taking centre stage this week.

Speaking yesterday morning at the St. Bartholomew Anglican Church where the staff of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) and well-wishers gathered for a service to mark the start of Aviation Week 2019 and the 81st anniversary of the first landing a commercial aircraft on these shores, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GAIA Inc. Terry Layne, while noting that airlift helps to open a country to its immediate region and the world, said Barbados has certainly benefitted from that.

“This in turn helps build its international trading market and consequently drive economic growth. Truly, all the facets of the aviation industry, particularly our airport have helped to fuel such development in Barbados,” he said.

Layne added, “So whether it has been to propel the growth of tourism as we know it, which we know is Barbados’ main foreign exchange earner; or to train some of the best air traffic controllers on the islands with the region or the world, depending on who you ask; or to be the foundation to produce world class and world acclaimed aviation administrators; or simply to just leave many young boys and girls awestruck with the marvel at its flight and airplanes, aviation has become a staple and a constant in Barbadian life and has touched many, dare I say, all of us in some form or fashion.”

He said this week a number of activities are being held to commemorate that October 19, 1938 flight, including a customer appreciation day, and he extended an invitation to the wider Barbados to participate in the events. He made the comments just moment before making a presentation to the St. Bartholomew Church for hosting them.

Delivering the sermon earlier, Canon Austin Carrington pointed also to the dependence of Barbados on aviation, noting that the success of the tourist industry in particular, is one such area that is heavily dependent on GAIA. He touched on the demise of Thomas Cook, the UK-based travel group, which he said will impact Barbados. Reverend Carrington noted though that compared to other destinations, Barbados is not the worst off as far as Thomas Cook is concerned, as Spain is expected to “suffer much” from the collapse, with as many as 1.3 million tourists being unable to reach Spanish destinations during the next few months.

“It highlights this dependence on a certain number of persons visiting our shores, and the planned “We Gatherin” for next year cannot be effectively accomplished without the business of aviation. It is that critical. Remember, airports are among the largest investments, an island, a city or region can make,” he stated. (JRT)