Passengers at Piarco International Airport and ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago were affected by flight delays yesterday after security officers engaged in unusually thorough examination of every piece of luggage, causing inconvenience to hundreds of travellers.
However, a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) advisory, quashing rumours of a go-slow by security officers, said the long queues and delays at the airport were, rather, the result of detailed security checks.
The heightened security checks came as news broke of gunfight at the Port-of-Spain Prison during a jailbreak by three prisoners.
As a result, CAL advised Trinidad customers travelling to regional and international destinations to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure and domestic passengers to arrive two hours earlier.
CAL corporate communications head, Dionne Ligoure, in a statement advised travellers to comply with the requirements to minimise inconvenience and delays.
Ligoure said "these elements" were outside the control of the airline and it was making every effort to maintain smooth management of its operations.
She said giving an exact number of how many people were affected would be misleading since other airlines depending on Airports Authority security were also affected. She said by the afternoon period, CAL's flights were running "comfortably."
"We had half-hour delays and not with every flight either." This was because of the advisory the airline sent out and the calls made to customers, she said.
The effects of the action at Piarco Airport rippled through the Caribbean.
Out of St John's, Antigua, Caribbean airline LIAT sent a release stating it was operating its normal scheduled services to and from Trinidad but customers "should expect delays due to extensive airport authority security checks at Piarco International Airport."
LIAT corporate communications head Desmond Brown further advised that significant delays in Trinidad could affect the airline's other flights in the region.
"Customers using the Piarco International Airport are advised to leave their home or hotel earlier than they normally would, giving themselves enough time to pass through airport security.
"LIAT sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused as a result of the extensive airport authority security checks at Piarco International Airport," Brown said.
Airports Authority
The Airports Authority also insisted the flight delays were caused by 100 per cent security checks at its check points.
"[The] security department at both airports in Trinidad and Tobago are currently engaged in 100 per cent screening at all the security check points, thus increasing the wait times at the airports.
"The management of the authority assures the travelling public that contingency plans are being put in place to facilitate the return to normal operations at Piarco and ANR Robinson International Airports.
"The authority apologises for any inconvenience caused as we continue to maintain high levels of safety and security at our nation's airports for the benefit of all of our valued customers."