Owen Roberts Airport departure lounge opens

[Damselfish]

Just looking at www.flightaware.com, there appear to be a lot more flights going into GCM than into CZM. I think Cayman Airways has seven or eight arrivals alone. American has a number of them, too. But, that's just looking at a one day snapshot.

At any given time half the Cayman Airways flights are probably puddle jumpers from Brac or Little.

 

[sara v]

some of the inter-island planes aren't puddle jumpers - we made the trip on a 737

 

[scubadada]

some of the inter-island planes aren't puddle jumpers - we made the trip on a 737

Brac-Grand Cayman? Once a day

 

[sara v]

there were at least three flights from Brac to Grand on the day we travelled - which admittedly was a Saturday

and also traffic from Little to Grand

I'd imagine around 100 to 150 people most days, anyway - more on the weekends

flight to Brac was FULL - from Brac not quite but it was a 737

 

[KathyV]

When is construction supposed to be complete?

By the end of this year, the last I heard.

 

[KathyV]

You are lucky to fly through airports where mobile passport is available - when I go to GCM I have to fly through CLT and they don't have it (yet).

Global Entry (which I have) is a massive, massive help there, though.

I have Global Entry and it is wonderful, but it usually only works in the US, a universal Global Entry program would be great.

I just did a search of my old emails and found the one below from 2015 from Melissa Ebanks, Manager at GCM airport - before the redesign and construction had even started.

We had just had an awful trip home from Cayman and I wrote a note to the GCM Customer Service suggesting that they accept TSA status when it has been conferred by the US Dept of Transportation. And/or to allow US visitors that are returning home to go through US Customs and Immigration in Grand Cayman - like they can do in Nassau.

She responded that it was unlikely to happen and that they would defer to the UK authority in making such a decision.

However, Cayman Air recently opened a Cayman Customs and Immigration process in Miami airport at the departure gate, to pre-screen visitors to the island before they even arrive and reduce incoming lines at the airport - so maybe they are finally starting to explore some new options to make things move more efficiently. We can hope!

"Dear _____________,

We appreciate your sentiments.

The Cayman Islands Airports Authority has reviewed the processes needed to implement such procedures at the Owen Roberts International Airport and our findings is the limited physical footprint. These limited quantities, at this time, is an unsustainable amount of traffic to support the facilities, expenses and human capital needed to run a preclearance operation. However, should the Islands incur the footprint volume needed to consider such services we would first have to have the support of our regulatory body, the United Kingdom (UK). If it was then authorized from the UKs end the next step would then lie in the hands of the United States Government for TSA to decide if they support the Cayman Islands in being destination to hold the TSA preclearance status.

Even though we are not here yet, we do hope that these processes needed in order to visit our Islands will not hinder your decision in continuing to make us your destination of choice. We appreciate having you here and look forward to welcoming you again.

With warm regards,

Melissa Ebanks
Customer & Commercial Service Manager
Cayman Islands Airports Authority"

 

[Alucard]

I very much doubt that countries would share their lists of trusted travellers any time in the near future, to be honest. It would involve the various governments exposing their methods of verification in order to "trust" each other, and I doubt that would happen.

More likely would be that the UK find a way to apply their "Registered Traveller" program to the Cayman Islands. However, I'm not sure that this would be that useful for most visitors, as most come from the USA or Canada and probably wouldn't want to go through the British security screening process, with the fees associated with it. Their current requirements are that you have an entry visa for the UK, and have visited the country at least 4 times in the last 24 months. Many would have an issue with the £70 per year fee, as well.

For the relatively low volume of people going to the CI, I wouldn't be holding my breath

 

[FindingMenno]

Not wanting to sound vengeful, but from traveling extensively over the world (although only 60 countries or so up till now) my experience is that the worst country to enter as a visitor is the US. Very long lines and waiting times, and in general the most unfriendly immigration staff. Global Entry is only available for citizens from about 10 countries or.

This to put the comments on Cayman immigration issues in a bit more perspective!

 

[kelemvor]

Not wanting to sound vengeful, but from traveling extensively over the world (although only 60 countries or so up till now) my experience is that the worst country to enter as a visitor is the US. Very long lines and waiting times, and in general the most unfriendly immigration staff. Global Entry is only available for citizens from about 10 countries or.

This to put the comments on Cayman immigration issues in a bit more perspective!

So you don't have security theater there, or there are simply fewer travelers?

 

[sara v]

Yeah - not really complaining about CI immigration- actually our lines on initial arrival to GCM at 3pm on a Saturday weren't bad - about half an hour through customs - grab bags - walk a long way out of the airport - around the parking lot and back in to check in with Cayman Airways to get to Brac - we were back into security lounge within an hour (though the walk was not easy with my 84 year old mom in tow - she is spry - but between the heat and the distance, it was a bit much for her)

Coming back to Grand from Brac was super simple - but we had to ask several security people what to do - there is not clear signage

By far... our WORST customs experience was coming back into the US - BY FAR! And we are citizens here... two hour wait for a simple picture and glimpse at our passports -