A Co-operation Agreement was signed between Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and the Airports Authority of Jamaica between February 9 and 10 in Atlanta.

This is an extension of the 1972 Sister Cities Twinning Agreement between Atlanta and Montego Bay and consists of two primary components. In the first instance, it will see airports in Jamaica and the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport exchanging ideas and information pertaining to cargo and passenger traffic development. This will include sharing information on historical statistical data, planned infrastructure developments and general marketing research all aimed at increasing passenger and cargo traffic at the referenced airports.

Secondly, the Agreement will facilitate capacity building concerning aviation competency within Jamaica through training and talent development of technical and managerial airport operatives locally. Monitoring of these objectives will be done by administrative and technical working groups which will be comprised of local and international airport leaders.

Speaking at the Signing, Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Lester ‘Mike’ Henry says that he is extremely pleased to sign the Agreement with the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, noting that geographically, Jamaica is strategically placed to do very good business with the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. To bolster this point, he highlighted the fact that in terms of flying time, it took approximately three hours to fly between the Jamaican airports and Atlanta and that Delta Airlines which has its hub in Atlanta offers direct service between both Norman Manley and Sangster International Airports. He also pointed to the fact that many persons used the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport as connecting points en route to and from Jamaica.

The Programme between Atlanta and Jamaica is a vehicle for fostering economic growth through airports development and is a strategic imperative of the Airports Authority of Jamaica to support growth in national passenger traffic and aviation competency development.