Dominica to expand runway at Douglas Charles Airport, says PM Roosevelt Skerrit

Dominica is all set to extend the runway at Douglas Charles Airport. Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit announced the decision and explained the reasoning behind the step.

Dominica to expand runway at Douglas Charles Airport, says PM Roosevelt Skerrit
Dominica to expand runway at Douglas Charles Airport, says PM Roosevelt Skerrit

Roseau, Dominica: Dominica is all set to extend the runway at Douglas Charles Airport. Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit announced the decision and explained the reasoning behind the step. He stated that the runway extension is necessary to ensure continued flights from the U.S Mainland to Dominica.

He said that American Airlines and other American-based airlines have suggested them to look two things. One given extension of the runway so it gives them greater comfort. PM Roosevelt Skerrit explained,”If we we’ve landed not to take off but we’re Landing especially when it is raining the runway is wet so it gives them that extra comfort.”

PM Skerrit said that one has to appreciate that the they cannot take off from the CN, but there are times they land from the sea and it’s wet and that’s cannot stop then they have to groove the runway in a sense to allow for more traction especially when the runway is wet.

Prime Minister Skerrit further said that the decision to extend the runway was not an easy one given the significant investments in the construction of an international airport. He said that he spent some time determining his mind whether he should go ahead and spend the money knowing that they are going to be building the International Airport. But in his discussions with people who advise them on this and he was convinced that they should should in order to sustain the existing flights.

He added,”What you do not want that is to lose those lights and lose opportunity for additional Airlines coming in.” Prime Minister Skerrit said that extending the runway diminishes the possibility of Airline scaling back their services to Dominica and that’s not good for the tourism industry, that’s not good for the economy, that’s not good for all the people who invested in hotels and new taxy, new vehicles and restaurants and tour guides of putting their business in place.

PM Roosevelt Skerrit added,” It’s not good for the small business, it’s not good for agriculture, it’s not good for the fishermen so this is really an investment in ensuring that they secure the investment that they made the business. There’s one airline that we’re speaking to that that they’ve been asking us for a schedule for the implementation of the extensional runway.

The extension of the runway at Douglas Charles airport will allow for greater safety in landing during times of heavy rainfall. It will also provide for the possibility of larger aircraft being able to land at Douglas Charles.