Resuscitating operations at Canefield airport is one strategy which should be considered as the Discover Dominica Association (DDA) seeks ways to improve access to the island.
The suggestion was made by Trinidad consultant, Ian Bertrand, at a press conference on Thursday after a three-day conference on improving air access to Dominica. “If one wanted to minimize porter’s time one should really take advantage of the two airports and ensure that they are more effectively utilized … so that means looking at the resuscitation of the operations at Canefield,” he said.
There are no regular flights at the tiny airport which had been very popular with air travelers wanting to avoid the long inland route to their homes when coming in or leaving via the larger Melville Hall Airport.
It is costing the government over $1-million to keep the airport open.
Bertrand also said that connectivity between Dominica and the surrounding international airport is critical and is another method of reducing porter’s time.
He pointed out that strengthening the partnership between Dominica, LIAT and the sea ferry services should be part of the island’s revised marketing strategy. “Both providers serve the regionally domicile market of Dominica,” he said. “The regionally domicile market is a very important market for Dominica and part of the revised marketing strategy is to further expand that market.”
At the press conference Minister of tourism Ian Douglas revealed that four new airline companies have shown interest in assisting in the airlift situation and said that his ministry looks forward to collaborating with them to improve access to the island.
What Dominica needs is a helicopter service from Melville hall to canfield for arriving air passengers. The helicopters could also be used to ferry tourists on sight seeing trips around the island mainly catering to visitors who are not physically capable of hiking. A small jet service say 40 passenger planes direct from Florida, Tampa or Miami would also help.
Canefield is the perfect area for a drag strip.
There’s no need to spend more money to convert it into something else. It can be set up immediately for events.
Dominica cannot be the only island in the ENTIRE caribbean without a drag strip. Plus with using an airport it putting us in a better position then Trinidad that using a small bit of Camden and some other islands.
Until something is done about the corrupt security/TSA officers at Melville Hall Airport, you can increase airlift to and from the island all you want but people won’t come back. They are theifs, power hungry and don’t follow current FAA regulations. BEWARE!!!!!
I have occasionally landed in Canefield, via B/dos and A/gua and have taken off from Canefield. It is a rough flight as the air pockets/turbulence are bad.
I have also heard that the air pockets arriving in Canefield are not conducive. Nevertheless those of us who reside on the central and south side of Dominica would prefer the Canefield airport so as to avoid the long ride from Melville Hall airport.
The Tourist Board should contact the travel agencies wherever Dominicans reside overseas including others who book tourists to Dominica. Canefield may not be known to them. The Melville Hall airport from especially Antigua and Barbados to Melville Hall airport are better known to them.
In addition, Dominicans who plan their vacations in advance specifically those who reside in Dominica central and south should specify that they would prefer flying to Canefield. However, the planes are small and their luggage may not arrive with them. Some of us who traveled on the same flight from especially B/dos have experienced it; no exception from Antigua. This is the price we have to pay for not having an international airport.
All of us would like Dominica to have an international airport. We must consider that Dominica is mountainous and it could be difficult to find an appropriate location. Since this may not be possible and would be costly, we could still promote Dominica and ensure that those who travel to Dominica will not be in transit and that their luggage will arrive with them.
If I recall the late Ms. Eugenia Charles ensured that Dominicans would receive that privilege especially at Carnival time when influx of Dominicans visited. Tourist Board, Minister of Tourism and Trade consider this.
Based under the circumstances, I do not mind a few minutes or an hour delay if I am aware of it in advance. The airline(s) from Antigua and Barbados should be prompt.
For further information, a few months ago an airline was charged some thousands of dollars in Toronto for a few hours’ delay. It was approximately #30,000 to $50,000 charges. Those airlines need to learn a lesson for inconveniencing passengers and also cause them to miss their flight and arrive late to their destination. Those who travel to certain parts of Europe and other countries also transfer to another plane, if not a few of them prior to arriving at their destination. I wish that the Western Indian/Caribbean governments would do likewise. Passengers are at their mercy and after paying them an exorbitant amount of travelers’ fees. This would teach them to be on time.
The entire industrial estate at canefield including the airport should be acquired and transformed into a tourist village also the relocation of ph williams. These areas are more suitable for greener more sustainable developments. Moreover with the limited beaches donkey beach is the only sandy beach within roseau. This area should be targeted to hotels and highend residentials, a small marina, restaurants, cruise ship berth etc
dominica need a night life first and then an international airport …krazy coco only club which is a poor enironment …hot place …and all drama at this club …also expandin canefeild airport would be a good idea ,,travellin from melvin hall all the taxi think once a person livin abroad they have money ,,,,they charges $90.00 for u and $90.00 for a child ..wtf …how can u come to visit and spend money in the country when taxi want to rip you off ..i take taxi in other countries and one price to the destination and doesnt matter the amount of ppl in the vehicles…expand of canefeild airport i agree shorter route less money for taxi …
What Dominica should be prioritizing is the countries demographics, the population is too low and dispersed. the only answer is to create opportunities for people to stay here and the present administration is not addressing this, hence the problems will continue. this is no science it’s there in history!
We should have a scheduled bus service between Melville Hall and Roseau. I don’t understand why this can not be arranged. Airport Taxi drivers should not have a monopoly. It is too expensive for the average Dominican
So i pick You up in a bus and where You going to put those 4 suitcases You traveling with ?
@ overseas
I agree with you. However, consider the cost of fuel and drivers’ time. It depends where you reside overseas, near or far away from the airport.
In Toronto, depending where one resides, it could cost approximately $70.00 or more to get to the airport by taxi/limousine.
There is talk of a new subway/rail/rapid transit being built (or to be built) in downtown Toronto which would decrease the cost of traveling to the airport.
The DA government may have to legislate the cost. I visualize that problems could ensue in the form of dissatisfaction and demonstrations.
Projects for Dominica
1988
http://www.plangut.at/uk/frameset_pro_4.html
2005
http://www.plangut.at/DCA2005/DA2005.html
Yours sincerly
The Architect
PS.: @Canefield: Shopping-Mall with a helicopter-base for emergencies and for island hubs
@Melville Hall: Uplift the airstrip to overcross the road infront and extend the runway as fas as financially reasonable into the sea. (Due to topografical situation, Melville Hall will never be accepted as an international airport)
Set the schedule of (Liat-) flights to be just in time when an international flight arrives at Antigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Lucia! … and wait for them – including baggage due to nightlanding facilities at Melville Hall …
So, if Melville Hall will never be an international airport due to topogrrafical issues, why were these elaborte plans drawn in 1988?
I drew these plans in 1988 as part of my studies to give an alternative to the intended international one at Crompton Point/Woodford Hill. Dame Eugenia and Michael Douglas preferred an international airport due to political reasons although knowing that it is not financable. Roosie knew of my project and he wanted to have it built but he had no support although the entire project is still at Gov. HQ in Roseau …
To get things done in Dominica one needs to be right on the site. Right in Dominica.
Unfortunately, because of our geography, persons from the North and South of the island must travel long distances to and from Melville Hall airport.
Canefield is dead and has been for quite some time. I flew in and out of that death trap too many times to confirm the obvious.
If we can’t improve air access, our tourism product will remain at a stand still.
This is something that just needs to be done.
I lived long enough to see the stadium. Hopefully, the airport will be next.
@ Anthony
Dominica needs a central international airport. Does this not make good sense?
DNO, I read your news and I also heard the consultant speak on Channel 5 news and am still waiting on him to justify his recommendation for boosting Canefield airport. He failed to provide data or a strategy which would justify Canefield. I believe the participants at the workshop failed to quiz the consultant and get him to put constructive and empirical reason behind his recommendation. So from what I heard from the man, he surely does not expect Dominica to just go ahead and resuscitate Canefield? Na! Come better than that, Sire.
wasn’t this Airport once considered as one of the top dangerous Airports? and that it is built North to south as compared to all others which runs from East to West?
I am a proud Dominican i live overseas for the past 23 yrs but i make it my duty to visit my country of birth at least 3 times per year.i enjoy every second,but i must say that i welcome the expansion of the melville hall airport.this is not an international airport until da does not get this we all are left to suffer and the country on a whole.the land is available there are lands so why not build after all it’s 2012 and dominica is still left behind,i leave on the west coast of dominica so if u are going to reopened caneflield i still welcome because travelling from the melville to west coast is really a long drive and am always sick so i can say if canflied re opens i sure will be visit my lovely country at least 6 times per year with every calender hoilday i should received.LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE REOPENING OF CANEFLIED AIRPORT AND STIL WAITING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TOO.
All countries in this world have dept, USA owes China so much the world will end with all these countries in dept, so lets all look forward and build the bloody international airport. I’m sick and tied of being in transit in one of the Caribbean Islands. We that are alive today were born with DA in dept and will die and leave it in dept just as the other countries around the world. So lets get together and build the International Airport, FORWARD ever backward NEVER.
Just a thought….I’ve always been saying,the long stretch of road in Castle Bruce,that land around there,would have been ideal location for an international airport..Just a thought.But again,people have homes along this stretch of road and relocating would be another issue.
There’s lots of things the airport can be, without being an attempted murderer. I use Canefield airport to know enough once that plane hit the west coast of Dominica it dance, jump, sway, shake and basay ba! I not in that again. i see some good suggestions in the comments. Mine is to open it as an international looking shopping area – a HIGH standard of shopping where tourists (and locals) can go to enjoy a shopping experience. Tourists cannot shop in Roseau. there’s nothing to buy, the streets are full of beggars, the shops are cramped. Time to change all that. we could have a facility with shops worthy of going into, restaurants, leisure etc etc
smfh
Currently the only way in or out of DCF is in a box or envelope. Air BVI and Sunshine Air can fly into DCF no problems, why waste $1 Million a year if you not using it, Customs and security are getting money to watch tv and be rude to those asking questions.
Schedule some of our smaller regional carriers in and be done with this fiasco.
Definition of a consultant is to pay a lot of money to someone who comes in and tells you what you already know. Admittedly his first report was very good, offered a lot of alternatives and remedies. I hope the meeting included some of the big/small carriers as well as regional airport reps. It is now up to the dictatorship to decide if they wish to invest in tourism or not.
The inaugural night flight was not the first, it may have been the first with stuffshirts and the self inflated, but the first night landing was for voters coming in for a free visit. My cousin was one of them. Night flights are not popular because they can’t do it, it is because the crews do not wish to travel to Roseau overnight to get up at 6 the next morning. A decent hotel needs to be put in Marigot so folks stranded and the crews can spend the night, there’s a lovely beach, and it would be a money maker. Until SVG comes on-stream, DOM has the most up to date airport in the region, all equipment is state of the art, and the staff are well trained.
Remember Jets do land at DOM, US army, FedEx, DHL, it can be done, which is why the landing strip was extended. We need to assure numbers on seats before any carrier will look at us. Flights directly out of Ft. Lauderdale were mentioned and looked into a few years ago.
What will happen if Chavez is ousted (I hope), has our illustrious leader thought that he may have sold us back into slavery, since Mr Bolivar and his band of buddies have cut ties and burned bridges left and right,can they be fixed.
Cuba is to open its doors soon to the great unwashed in the USA, and it won’t only be us suffering, it used to be the playground of the Americans and they are itching to get back in there and buy land, set up shop and ruin another island in the name of mass tourism. EVERYONE will suffer when this happens. 90 miles from the USofA, and i bet even the Bahamas will suffer too, although they have flight out of China to Nassau for the gambling.
Sadly, most in that building on Kennedy Ave can’t see past their nose.
PLAN AHEAD
you can only resuscitate the dying not the dead..
copied and pasted from Cerebus in another article – “Our sister island St. Lucia, despite a 2012 budget allocation to their Tourism Board of $45 million for marketing plus another $5 million for product development lost nearly 20% of their airlift capacity from the main market, the U.S.A. so far this year!”
Interesting. Very interesting. $50 million and still losing air lift and that does not include the $15 million? a year they pay to subsidize empty airline seats so what? EC$65 million every single year and still they lose airlift and yet here we are still demanding an airport because we think that will solve our problems.
To pay that EC$65 million every single year the St. Lucian government has to take money from education, take from healthcare, take from security take take take take take take then they have to increase taxes, and on it goes and yet here we are still demanding an ariport because we think that will solve our problems.
Copied and pasted from Anonymous from another article – “The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly pursuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of a doubt, what is laid before him” Leo Tolstoy
The above quote is for all of you that ignore all the facts and still demand an airport.
You copy and paste an article which doesn’t give a total picture and speak all this fancy conceptual stuff, what about the revenue that comes from the airport or the indirect revenue which it contributes to the Saint Lucian economy? St Lucia has had its airport from the 1960’s so could you expound on the economic contribution?
I am afraid that you are right. We cannot afford an empty international airport.
Sort out the connecting flight to the other islands and see the visitors gow … It costs virtually nothing which is exactly how much we have.
We need an international airport but if we had one what would people be coming to rivers which are not to clean and nite-life which we don’t have come-on people we have to build our country 1st.
We need Casinos, duty-free and some late nite clubs with girls if you know what i mean.
Cause when we go overseas is that we seeing and when we come back is that we talking about.
If America, St Martin, Guadeloupe, etc… was like Dominica we would never leave Dominica.
We need to start working with our government who ever the party is Blue or Red and build our country.
Imagine Dominica with all what was said above and all our Nature, we would never leave.
so even if we have an international airport it would still stay empty..
@ Desie
How many Desie’s are there in Dominica and overseas? I know of one who does not reside in DA.
I disagree with you. Dominica does not really need casinos and all the sin-strips which exist in those countries. You will think that they generate revenue but they generate other matters as crimes and the Mafia. Keep this in mind.
Why spoil Dominica as those other countries? Tourists are of different ages and preferences. We cannot speak for all of them. Some of them appreciate bird-watching and simply a quiet holiday which Dominica accords. What about whale watching?
The travel agencies are aware of what exists in Dominica. Consider too the tourists ships which visit DA.
What would lure more tourists to DA would be an international airport, not having to be in transit and to transfer to another airplane. This could be frustrating. We have to contend with what we have for now anyway.
Dominica is blest with what other islands do not have, lush greeneries, the lakes, sulphur springs, sceneries and many rivers. Some tourists appreciate them which is why they visit.
Keep criminals at bay, away from the tourists so that they are not attacked, robbed and terrorized. The government – Tourist Board must do its utmost to ensure that they are safe when they visit Dominica. Otherwise, as news travel, many will hear and not visit DA.
While at it note this for your information: I looked up the spelling of sulphur, since Microsoft Word underlined it, indicating that the word is incorrectly spelled :
Brief description: the spelling of sulphur is “sulfur” in the USA and now that IUPAC has decided it has jurisdiction over the British English language (as distinct …
They are chauvinists! So much for them! Well, I am not in the U.S.A.! I am in Canada and we speak and write English based on the British English language. For goodness sake, we are still a foreign country! Now, you know, united we stand, divided we fall.
Every day they heiring more and more foriegn consultants to tell us how to run dominica. Why cant a dominican tell dominicans how to develop dominica???? All of us went to study and have phd, mba , too. Saddd
Where are all the people that were rejoicing when the night landing experiment at Melville Hall was proclaimed as the BE-ALL, CURE-ALL and END-ALL of all Dominica’s Travel Woes?
Way before they dumped $300 million into the recent Melville Hall fiasco, the few wise folks warned of its impending failure and advised about going the jet-airport way, but the dimple man and all his sycophant cohorts were deadest about going back 40 years into the past. Now the facility hardly has 1 year of dismal failure and they already paying consultant to talk about air access.
Greatest thing anyone has said in a long time, With regards to air access to D/A. The location of the current airport is extremely inconvenient for those traveling to the central and southern parts of Dominica.
China Building airport on water. Mr. PM get your Chinese friends to give us one.
“Way papa, nous really mal”
Goodness! Why didn’t they pay me to tell them that? These people, Gonzalves, that Trini, are all conspiring to keep us from building an international airport.
not for me they resaucitat6ing kamem. pa mwen a canefield acore. i going melville hall everyday.
Literally decades ago there was talk about an international airport in woodford hill in Leblancs era
@ Woodford Hill girl
I also heard that the international airport was to be built in an area in Canefield; not where the present one is. I visualize the area which is now built up with homes.
Lately all I have been reading is about the need for an international airport in Dominica. For the readers and contributors to DNO, Melville Hall airport is an international airport. An international airport is an airport that is equipped with customs and immigration facilities which Melville Hall airport has. What the contributers should be requesting is for an airport with longer runways that could accomodate the bigger airplanes and also larger facilities that will be able to handle the increase in air travellers. Dominica is not in a financial position to build a new international airport now.
In what language is Melville Hall an international airport? IN none at all.
The English language.
Although it is clear that Dominicans, technically, may speak English, but in fact do not comprehend the language which could be a contributing factor to our problems.
An international airport is simply an airport that services flights to/from other countries as oppososed to a domestic airport, which only handles flights within its own country. The U.S.A. for instance, has many of the latter. By that definition both Melville Hall and Canefield are international airports.
Since i was a child i have been hearing of International airport. 30 yrs later, still no airport and we are still talking about it.
every govt says we can’t afford it. It is only getting more expensive to build. Lets have the CHINESE give us an international airport instead of those stupid fishing (never to be utilized) complexes.
We would have been done paying for international airport if it was a priority immediately after independence
Then again, Please tell me why did we seek independence when we couldn’t afford to even build an airport.
Dominica was not ready for independence in 1978. Those guys at that time didn’t have a serious plan and those we are paying for it for generations.
Good talk We need to talk a look at the other international airports in the caribbean, (eg) St Lucia,Antigua,SM to name a few what you see there is (RUNWAY)that accomdate bigger airplanes. Dominican need to get it right and get it now.
And left with people like you, it never will.
Something for you to consider.
WHO DARES, WINS!!!!!
You must understand that in the international arena there are standards “A typical international airport consists of six major
physical elements and up to a dozen secondary ones.
The major elements are:
1-Runway, taxiing areas, etc.
Passenger terminal
2-Car parks and road system
3-Freight depot and warehouse areas, hangars and aircraft service areas.
In addition, there are many secondary elements
which can form substantial parts of the airport
estate, such as:
Railway station
a-Hotel, Conference facilities
b-Leisure, recreation areas, Green space and planted areas.” Definition from the Architect’s Handbook- Edited by Quentin Pickard RIBA. so as we can see Melvin Hall definitely falls short as the architectural definition of an international airport
After all we have to bring a man all the way from Trinidad to tell us this foolishness? What about all of the skilled Dominicans we have abroad? What about the grand strategy – allow the former owners of the lands purchased for the international airport to use the land to grow nothing, spend millions on night landing and give LIAT $8m.
What’s next friends, Dominicans, countrymen? Haiti… please come from Cite Soleil to shop in Cite Laplea, Dominica?
So u mean that if we have a bigger airport LIAT will not continue to come here?But they are in all the other Islands in spite of their JET Airports.This INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT is just a myth.All we need is a longer runway!!
deeeeeeer,canefield was always the best airport to spend money on,you can build on water its 2012 someone pleases show me all the reciepts from the melvin hall project,someone became rich on that project
the Minister is groping for straws…poor job Mr. Minister Douglas,,,let down in Tourism
We were taught that Dominica was discovered by Christopher Columbus on Nov 03, 1493. After he discovered Da on 11/3/1493, he discovered Guadelope between Nov 04 and between Nov 04-10,1493, he then discovered Monserrat, Antigua, Nevis, The Virgin Islands, Tortola, St. Kitts, St. Martin, St. Croix etc. As he continued to the greater Antilles, he landed in Purto Rico, on Nov 19, 1493, Cuba Arpil 30, Jamaica May 05, Haiti August 20, St lucia between 1499-1502, St. Vincent jan. 22 1498 and Grenada later in 1498.
My point is, Da was discovered before ALL of thos islands which includes Bados and T&T. Most of them either have an international airport, jet landing airport, complete renovation of their international airport or extending access to their island by building an International Airport. Yet, the visionless Skerrit, DLP, Ian Douglass and others have to pay a consultant to tell them how to go back to the 80’s and resusitate Canefield and back to 1493 when we were discovered by ship, to try to work on sea ferry. No plans whatsoever for the future! All of those islands that were discovered after us have either Jet or International airport and they all have well organized sea ferry as a secondary means to access. Consultant Bertrand so cannot help them that the best he could do was to advise them to go back to the sea, give more help to liat, and back to Canefield.
tell Kalinago that Columbus discovered any of those islands you just mention. there is a reason its called the “Caribbean”
The topography of those lands are different from Dominica’s. An International airport is needed but that’s not the argument we can use to get one.
You remember when we use to attend elementary school and it was rainning, they always use to have us sing a nursery rhyme that went like this? “Three blind mice. Three blind mice. See how they run. See how they run. They all run after the farmer’s wife, who cut off their tails with a carving knife, Did you ever see such a sight in your life, As three blind mice.”
Blind mice # 1.The DLP administration. Blind mice #Ian Douglas and Ian Bertrand. Blind mice #3 Discover Dominica Association. Have you ever seen such a thing in your life as three blind mice? I wonder if the consultant has roots in possie since he is a Bertrand paid by tax payers to advise Ian Douglas. What a shame!
Here is another one we use to sing on National day: Dominica was discovered in 1493, by Christopher Columbus on the 3rd of November…but right now it seems that we were discovered in 2012 by these “Three blind mice.”
your name says it all any way i had a good laugh
The last time I checked
1.The land for the International Airport was purchased since 1999 by UWP government. Wesley/Londonderry
2.The land is owned by the Government and People of Dominica
3.The St Andrews High School was relocated.
4.The Plans are still available
Yet the DLP Government..
1. Wasted is excess $300 million at Melville Hall Airport in a so called upgrade
2. Spent in access of $33,000 on LIAT in fake night landing inaugural flight on 20th September 2010
3. Recently gave $8 million in free money we dont have to LIAT
4. American Eagle pulling out of San Juan in June 2013.
5. Hon Ralph Gonzalves, PM of St Vincent, one of PM Skerrit’s Advisers will be opening his International Airport in December of 2013
This Lazy, impotent and incompetent DLP Government should shallow their 14 year old pride and give DOminica what it is due.
In this Modern times DOMINICA can never compete profitably without an International Airport… From Agriculture to Tourism to Construction to Education – Every sector will benefit.
SKERRIT and LABOUR STOP doing harm to Dominica!!
The Labour Party will continue to fool Dominicans always…because Dominicans are contented with the lesser at all aspects…
take a look at their situation in Dominica..
who speaks out just a few talk show host and the opposition parties but sadly the Unions, stake and Policy makers sit and remain silent..
Dominica will remain at the bottom because its best minds have migrated and those on island could care less if China gives decides to run the Governance affairs..that’s how badly things are with the Dominican minds…
Well Said indeed hats off..
But Dominica is a extremely ! STRANGE! STRANGE!
Place that sums it up!
Cloud of Doom covers Dominica…
You think from what you said so clearly if the Citizens were thinking folks in any Part of the World they would embrace Vision…
But Again Dominica…hmm not known for visionary Thinking….the last time i know Dominicans voted based on the national issues were in 1975, 1980-1995…..after that 95 election, thinking was flushed,dead and buried…Dominicans forgot what ISSUES OF NATION…
Suddenly they were charmed in a evil manner to think wrong is right depends on who does it..
so Dominica is Repeating is Massive Numbers of what they sowed in a BAD MOON BACK IN 2000!
Them Days anyone works on Dominicans minds…lol lol
They so not up to it…its a BIG JOKE…
And they Claim to have Bright Minds…lol
Dominicans are NARROW THINKERS…PERIOD!
That’s just what happens when a blind leads the blind; they both fall in the ditch and unfortunately, is only after they fall they assume they took a wrong step.
I hope GARY responds this time and does not twist what was said to play his political game. Folks, this is a paid consultant from T&T, that is giving this advise to Dominicans. Maybe he was consulted when Skerrit & the DLP dumped over $100 million on night landing and is bearing no fruits to show. The man is paid to give advise to the DLP on assisting with air access. We are NOT in 1493 anymore for the man to try to push sea access on us. This is 2012 where air cargo is preffered to sea cargo. I am not saying we should do away with sea ferry but it should only be by choice and not because we do not have a choice. Less GARY accuses me again let me quote the consultant verbetim. He said, “Strngthening partnership between Dominica, Liat and the sea ferry services should be part of the islands marketing strategy.” Mr. Bertrand, we tried to strengthen with Liat by contributing $8-million recently and that did not help. Infact, the millions we spent on night landing we did so with Liat in mind. Skerrit really expected Liat to take care of air access…that failed sir. 2.Air ferry cannot be the answer because most visitors have 2weeks of vacation and spending 3 days on sea is a waste of time and money especially when you do so because you do not have a choice.3. Canefield airport was closed because of safety reasons. Small planes have to land against the wind. The wind is so bad that a liat pilot told a few of us in Martinique during a fuel stop that if he has to fly another plane into canefield he would resign cause it is just too risky.
Well I see you guys at it again. Consultant saying reopen something that has been closed for a while and is now even more prooned to accident because of climate change.
Discover Dominica invites reginonal carriers and other local stake hollders to look at our access problems.
Are all of these guys so stupid? Our flight problems does not stem from the region alone but from the scheduling from the international flights as well. ok. I must admit that the hub countries Love it because we have to spend one night in a hotel.
To be honest the key lies in getting the international carrires in earlier. So who should we be talking too, the international carriers, not liat and the rest.
Just do the math. For those of you who travel out of the region. Normally you get in between 4.30 and 7 in the evening. Sometimes seeing the last flight leaving to Dom. at the airport you are landing.
Think of it.
Ha ha, I can’t believe that they pay someone to come talk that crap. It’s amazing how everyone takes us for a ride. As we continue to play politics with an international airport our neighbours laughing us all the way to the bank.
Race Track
turn that airport to a race track!
Canefield airport dead and buried, why resuscitate? Should that happen you will be left with passengers to resuscitate because it is quite dangers to land there. This was the reason for shutting it down initially, so why resuscitate with no plans to remedy the “disease” that “killed” it in the first place?
break it down and buid a school!
Close down Canefield Airport, re-open as the new Ferry Terminal.
Now that is a comment I support. I am tired of seeing one ship docked at the terminal in town and the others on the sea using little boats to come ashore. Build another jetty which accommodates at least two vessels and turn the runway into some form of tourist village. Vendors won’t have problems there especially since proper stalls will be provided
The current facility can be converted to customs and a minimall complete with duty free and bank. I think that might be more profitable for us.
Expand it into the sea. The runway should jut into the sea… hopefully the sea there isn’t too deep. But level off some hills and use that land to fill the sea. That airport can be Dominica’s saviour in the shortterm… then they can close Melville Hall and save money… hehehe…
100% in agreement….I was thinking the same thing…
All this Talk about this airport, that airport, this ferry, this boat and more does not change the fact that Dominica cannot compete with any other island in the tourism arena. Having two mediocre airports is a joke to put in mildly. We need to move into the 21st century and build a decent size international airport. The end. Fullstop. Period.
if you needed to pay a consultant money to tell yu what you already know, then it begs the question “who is steering the ship?” the consultant hasn’t said one insightful thing yet in the DNO reports. no “ah ha” moments. revive that deathtrap called Canefield airport??
lastly, why is Dominica the only OECS country without direct international air access or a FUNCTIONING MARINA?? SVG building one and they say SVG is poorer than we are. Antigua is right now upgrading theirs to have one terminal for arrival and one for departure. in fact the plan is to have and “ear” so that arriving passengers no longer need to walk down steps on to the ramp. St. Lucia was contemplating having a SECOND international airport. and don’t give me this crap about no traffic cos Antigua and St. Lucia adopted the mindset many moons ago, before most of us born, that if we build it and market it, people would come. my only regret is they did it at a time when tourism was in the infancy stage as a sector. we are probably 30 years too late. notwitstanding this, if we build it people would come with a heavy marketing effort.
some times the things you really want to say when you read news out of Dominica eh!!! it’s a pity DNO will never allow it .ARRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
The crosswinds are horrible at canefield, i would not want to land there again.
Bonjay, it had to take a paid consultant to come and say that nuh. That administration there self eh. How it like to waste money so nuh. They could have paid me to say something that simple. Chpz
I remember in high school I did a study on the Canefield Airstrip and my findings revealed that this was a disaster waiting to happen. The planes land horizontal to the winds and that can be a serious issue – I believe this might have been the reason for the closure in the first place. Why look to re-open? THe appropriate persons need to step in and do whats right for the strategic development of our country. STOP PLAYIN POLITICS WITH THIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Dominica is years behind its peers! WHen will we realize this? If an international airport is not critical why do our sister islands invest in one? Oh Lord, help my beautiful country – ignorance is something else.
is canefield closed? jus saw a plane land there…
Canefield is fully operational for passenger traffic, except night landings.
maybe skerritt just land from one of his secret trips, hahhahhahhaha
Monti, all planes land horizontal to the winds.At least I hope so as doing the opposite, landing vertical would invite certain disaster! Maybe you meant to say “perpendicular” in this case.I agree but that does not mean that air planeoperations are impossible at Canefield. I’ve used it on numeropus occasions and would do so again without qualms.
So the government had to pay someone to tell them that??!!
That’s a extremely clouded advise in my view..
Dominica does not have sufficient movements to operate two airports..ask DASPA how they are struggling with their Pay Roll at the Port of Entries.
If Production and Manufacturing and also Tourism was on a head scale and marketed wider then you would have a demand for small equipment-aircraft wise for Canefield but sadly things are on final to crash in Dominica economic wise..
Was in Dominica for 2 weeks in July, almost thought Dominica was a Ghost Town.
The Stillness in the environment is a sign of a Massive Crisis on going in Dominica..
The months of July and August is when people who work and pay taxes in Dominica travel with their children. Since in Freedom Party Days business has always been slow in Dominica for the month of July.
Please do not come on this blog and pretend. SMDH.
I just can’t understand that more the people who interested in developing Dominica states what needs to be done about air access, they are being dumped and spat on but a stranger has to come to tell them the same thing. The Chinese say Dominica not going anywhere without an international airport. DBS made sure it killed that news item.
Why are so backward in having foresight? DLP not interesting in advancing DA. They only care about themself..only a few shall eat!!
Boss get chavez to give u the money and go back to Marigot and start a proper airport if you guys are serious about access… Anything else is a waste of time and money….Don’t make a Libyan have to come and tell all u that… it make us look like we have no brain!!
So a consultant from Trinidad had to come to Dominica to tell the Minister of Tourism and the DDA to make use of their own airport…. Really commonsense not so common in those high places
Extend and make it “international”…
Oh boy look foolishness! does this guy know what he is talking about? did those who paid him for this advice inform him of the reason that canefield is closed?
…well just tell us the reason non?
is canefield closed??? wow!!! breaking news to me…
Canefield should be closed..IMF has asked the Govt the re-trench so where is Govt going to get the funds to keep canefield going what a joke…
traffic into dominica has always being seasonal.
Dominica presently is too expensive to do biz cost of living is extremely high for locals..
Canefield has wind issues atleast 75% of the year its dangerous..just close it down..
Build the international airport as they are now improving the ground travel-interior road network time from melville to the the capital
But as i will often say Dominicans including most of their policy makers have left their God given brains the the river mouths, that’s why the island is rated the poorest and unattractive for biz ventures both local, regional and internationally.
please present ur 75% stats – u ppl jus like to sound intelligent
So somebody has to come in and say that. I shame.
Just please don’t close down this airport.