Growing concerns about Tobago's new terminal building

On March 15, with great fanfare, the previous administration under the People's National Movement (PNM) hosted a ceremony hailing the practical completion of the new terminal building at the ANR Robinson International Airport at Crown Point, Tobago, as a pre-election high-profile project.

It is alleged that the project had $462 million in cost overruns.

Practical completion is a term used to describe the point in a building construction project where the works have been completed in accordance with the contract specifications, except for minor defects that do not materially affect the use of the building.

In his address at the ceremony, former minister of finance Colm Imbert said, "It does not mean that aircraft and passengers can utilise the new terminal building from tomorrow, since final completion on construction, I am told, is expected by the end of April. After that, there will be testing and commissioning, but practical completion is a significant milestone in the life of any project.

"We expect, therefore, that barring unforeseen circumstances, the first plane with passengers can utilise this new terminal building in July 2025. We will all work together to make that happen."

On that same day, the then Ministry of Works and Transport issued a public release stating that Tobago celebrated a significant milestone with the practical completion of the brand-new ANR Robinson International Airport terminal.

The ministry said the modern facility marked a transformative step in improving the island’s air travel infrastructure, boosting tourism and elevating service standards for both domestic and international passengers.

"The two-storey terminal spanning 25,500 square metres was designed to meet ICAO standards, ensuring world-class safety, efficiency and passenger comfort. The modern facility will significantly enhance airport operations, streamlining departures, arrivals and overall connectivity to support Tobago’s growing role as a premier Caribbean destination," the ministry said.

It said the new terminal building has been built with cutting-edge technology and modern amenities to enhance the passenger experience.

A key standout feature in the ministry's release was the advanced check-in systems with the new self-service kiosks and streamlined baggage handling processes for faster, hassle-free check-ins.

Passenger facilitation based on the standards of the ICAO Annex 9 – Facilitation is critical for improving the overall travel experience and enhancing operational efficiencies.

Effective facilitation enhances passenger experience from booking, check-in, boarding and upon arrival immigration and customs formalities and baggage retrieval, ensuring a contented experience.

Procedures are streamlined to ensure faster passenger processing times through the formalities of immigration, customs, port health and security at airports.

The ministry release described the completion of the ANR Robinson International Airport terminal as a game-changer for Tobago’s economy and tourism industry.

With its upgraded capacity, improved operational efficiency and world-class facilities, the new terminal is set to attract more international carriers, facilitate increased visitor arrivals and create new economic opportunities for local businesses.

The new terminal project was intended to integrate construction, equipment technology and facilitation procedures as a total airport system to meet the ICAO standards.

How much of a game changer the new terminal is for Tobago’s economy and tourism industry is quite debatable since most of the existing facilitation systems being used require upgrading to conform to new technologies for enhancing passenger experience.

International travellers are still required to fill out paper forms and line up to be interviewed by immigration and customs officials.

TT has not transitioned to the e-passport and is not a participant in the ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD) – a central repository for exchanging the information required to authenticate e-passports.

The e-passport is the principal identity document used in international travel and enhances passenger facilitation.

The security and facilitation advantages of e-passports are the integrated closed circuit chip that contains biographical data of the holder, such as fingerprints and facial recognition features.

Those benefits, however, can only be realised when immigration can authenticate the chip using the ICAO PKD.

If the chip cannot be authenticated at immigration control points, the e-passport has little advantage over a traditional, non-electronic passport.

Almost all Caricom countries are using e-passports.

The TT passport, while machine readable, is not an e-passport.

In the last budget statement on September 30, 2024, the former finance minister informed the nation that TT will be moving to e-passports in the fiscal year, keeping TT in sync with the rest of the world as e-passports are globally recognised.

Airport efficiencies should be continually enhanced through innovation and automation to improve passenger facilitation.

Most countries, including several Caribbean countries, now use modern checked and carry-on baggage screening equipment that does not require removal of laptops, electronic devices and shoes.

Senior ministry officials frequently attend international aviation conferences where they gain valuable insights into the new technologies for airport facilitation based on the ICAO standards.

Similarly, the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) is a member of Airports Council International (ACI), which represents the collective interests of airports around the world to promote excellence in airport operations.

ACI works with governments, experts and ICAO to develop policies, programmes and best practices that advance airport standards globally.

AATT officials participate in ACI meetings.

Similarly, TT immigration officials attend the ICAO seminars on machine readable travel documents (MRTD).

The MRTD programme's goal is to standardise and improve the security and efficiency of travel documents, primarily e-passports, to facilitate border control and combat fraud. The programme ensures that passports adhere to the ICAO standards, making them machine-readable and easier to verify electronically.

TT should keep abreast with its Caricom neighbours regarding passenger facilitation in accordance with chapter six of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The new terminal building should be complimented by an ultra-modern air traffic control tower to replace the present 40-year-old tower.

The AATT still has to integrate the new software systems it developed with the airport’s Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE) system at the new Tobago terminal.

This will allow passengers to get their boarding passes and checked baggage tags at the self-service kiosks.

However, there appear to be many unforeseen circumstances pertaining to outstanding work to be done at the new terminal.

Therefore, the new terminal is more than likely will be available for use by airlines by the end of the third quarter of 2025.