Ian Fleming International Airport

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Ian Fleming International Airport
IATA: OCJ – ICAO: MKBS
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Airports Authority of Jamaica
Serves Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Location Boscobel, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica
Elevation AMSL 90 ft / 27 m
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Map
MKBS is located in Jamaica
MKBS
MKBS
Location in Jamaica
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
09/27 4,769 1,454 Asphalt
Sources: AAJ,[1] DAFIF[2][3]

Ian Fleming International Airport (previously Boscobel Aerodrome) (IATA: OCJ, ICAO: MKBS) is an international airport located in Boscobel, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, 10 km (6.2 mi) east[1] of Ocho Rios, in northern Jamaica. The airport provides service to the United States and to other Caribbean islands. It is named for Ian Fleming, the creator of the James Bond novels, whose Goldeneye estate is located in St Mary parish.[4]

History

Previously known as Boscobel Aerodrome, the airport was originally a limited service facility that processed about 20,000[5] passengers annually. Boscobel Aerodrome was in operation for over 30 years and had scheduled passenger service provided by local carriers such as Air Jamaica Express, Jamaica Air Shuttle and Trans Jamaican Airlines which flew small prop and turboprop aircraft such as the Beechcraft 99, Britten-Norman Trislander and Dornier 228.

Renovations began in early 2009, and the total cost of construction was $300 million (JMD).[6] The new airport was opened on January 12, 2011 by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who said that the intention of the airport was to handle small jets, international arrivals and to attract the high-end tourism market to Jamaica's north coast,[7] including Ocho Rios, Oracabessa, and Port Antonio. Also present for the opening was Ian Fleming's niece, Lucy Fleming, and Goldeneye's current owner, Chris Blackwell.[8]

The new airport welcomed its first international flight on Friday, May 7, 2010 (eight months prior to its official opening) when a single-engine Pilatus PC-12 turboprop flew in from the Bahamas with singer-songwriter and businessman Jimmy Buffett, of "Margaritaville" fame,[9] being the first international passenger to be processed by customs and immigration officers at the facility.[10][11]

The renaming of the airport was controversial, with some locals feeling that a prominent Jamaican should have been honoured in preference to the British Ian Fleming.[12] Prime Minister Golding acknowledged the controversy in his remarks at the opening of the airport. He explained that Ian Fleming gave Jamaica "an image much larger than it would otherwise have had", and that this was the place where the creativity emerged that enabled him to write 13 James Bond novels, and to become one of the world's most famous authors.[13]

Facilities

Ian Fleming International Airport resides at an elevation of 90 ft (27 m) above mean sea level.[2] It has one runway designated 09/27 with an asphalt surface measuring 4,769 ft × 79 ft (1,454 m × 24 m).[1] The airport is designed to handle private and commercial aircraft as large as the Cessna Citation Excel.[14]

The airport features a modern terminal, landing lights, fire truck garage and a fuelling station.[15] Passenger amenities include customs and immigration services, a passenger lounge, and pilot briefing rooms.

Airlines and destinations

There is no scheduled service to the airport.

Passengers

The following table shows the number of passengers using the airport annually from 1997 through 2001.[5]

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Passengers 11,539 15,944 23,638 23,483 22,410

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Airport information for OCJ at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ [1][dead link]
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ [2][dead link]
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ [3][dead link]

External links

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