Historic AA flight 4007 landing at Ian Fleming Intarnational Airport in Boscobel, St Mary, near Ocho Rios on Saturday, February 24, 2024. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)
AS authorities were tabulating the local government votes at Jamaica Observer press time, we in this space were reflecting on an event that symbolised a massive vote for Jamaica’s future — the inaugural flight of American Airlines 4007 to Ian Fleming International Airport at Boscobel, St Mary, on Saturday.
Those who used the term “game-changer” to describe the significance of the development would have been relieved to have proven the ‘againsters’ wrong in their prediction that this day would never come.
We are among those who breathed a sigh of relief as flight AA4007 burst through the clouds, coming in to land with a full load of 71 passengers and representing the historic first scheduled, international commercial jet, twice-weekly service to Ian Fleming International.
Relief too because our late Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart, founder of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), had thrown his considerable muscle behind the St Mary Western Member of Parliament Mr Robert Montague’s vision of the former Boscobel airstrip becoming an international airport, with potential to transform the economic fortunes of the north and north-eastern region of the island.
Former Transport Minister Mr Mike Henry also fought vigorously for the cause, arguing that the airport had the potential of opening up Ocho Rios, St Ann; Port Antonio, Portland; Port Maria, Annotto Bay and Highgate, St Mary; and beyond for tourism. He had gone as far as to propose, unsuccessfully, that private financiers float an Ian Fleming Airport Development Bond.
It was the expectation at the time that some 21 cities in the US, one each in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela, as well as the Caribbean were within a 1,650-mile radius of an Fleming Airport and thus in the range of a possible CRJ700 aircraft.
Naming some of the people who saw the project to fruition, Mr Mark Hart, chairman of Airports Authority of Jamaica, on Saturday commended Butch Stewart’s son and SRI Executive Chairman Mr Adam Stewart for working strenuously to bring AA to the table.
Further indicating its belief in the airport project, SRI has established a spanking new guest lounge that would make any Jamaican proud, not the least of whom would have been the late Mr Stewart himself.
Ian Fleming Airport — named after the famous British writer who created the fictional James Bond, agent 007 — was opened in January 2011 amidst controversy. The sign at the entrance was defaced at least twice, with residents saying they didn’t like the new name.
That prompted then Prime Minister Bruce Golding to explain that association with the James Bond novels gave Jamaica an image much larger than it would otherwise have had, if the little-known Boscobel name had been retained.
It is fortunate that the againsters did not have their way at Ian Fleming International. The spontaneous cheers that greeted the AA flight from the many gathered there to witness its arrival spoke volumes about people’s hopes for development of their region.
Starting with two flights a week — Wednesday and Saturday — is impressive and demonstrates American Airlines’ belief in the project. All Jamaicans should work now to make it a massive success.
We congratulate all those who contributed in any way, shape, or form to realise that monumental inaugural flight.
