| Grantley Adams International Airport |
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The Sir Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA), ( IATA identifier BGI ) / ( ICAO Airport Code is TBPB ) located at , in Seawell, Christ Church on the island of Barbados in the Eastern Caribbean . The airport was known as ''Seawell Airport'' before being dedicated in honor of the first Premier of Barbados, Sir Grantley Herbert Adams in 1976 . The Grantley Adams Airport has direct service to destinations in the United States , Canada , Central America , South America , Africa , and Europe and operates as a major gateway to the Eastern Caribbean . The airport is a second hub for both BWIA West Indies Airways and Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT). HISTORY Air transportation at the site of present day Grantley Adams International Airport, then known as ''Seawell Airport'', goes back as far as the late 1930s . In 1939 a plane from the Royal Netherlands Airlines landed on the airport site. At the time there was merely a grassy strip as the runway. The strip was paved some time later and in 1949 the first Terminal building was built on the site, to replace a shed that was being used until then. This ushered in the Airport being formally known as the ''Seawell Airport''. The Sir Grantley Adams International Airport, as it is known today, handles most large aircraft including Boeing 747 s. The airport was also one of the few destinations in the world where the British Airways' Concorde aircraft visited, before the Concordes were completely retired. The Concorde jets typically flew to Barbados during the busy UK-Barbados winter season. The Concorde flight times from the United Kingdom to Barbados was less than 4 hours. OVERVIEW AND GEOGRAPHY The Sir Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) lies 12.9 km (8 mi.) from the centre of the capital city Bridgetown , the area is officially known as Seawell. This is contrary to most informational services stating the airport as being located inside the capital city. The terrain around the airport is relatively flat and quite Suburban . The airport lies in the south-eastern portion of parish of Christ Church , close to the southern tip of the entire island. The airport is provided with easy access to the ABC highway/highway 7 heading towards the capital and locations to the north and west coast of the island. The Grantley Adams Airport also serves as the main air-transportation hub for the Eastern Caribbean. The airport is currently under-going a US$100 Million upgrade and expansion by the government, which will see the addition of a brand new arrivals hall adjacent to the current arrivals/departures terminals. During construction, parts of the airport will remain open for business with little disruption. AIRLINES AND DESTINATIONS These are some of the airlines that fly to and from the island. -- ''and their direct connections to/from Barbados''
''See a list of global airlines at: List Of Airlines '' FLIGHT TIMES Popular routes: ''Estimated flight times to Barbados 'BGI' '':
REDEVELOPMENT Since the Grantley Adams International Airport has become relatively busy for a small island, and based on the fact that future air traffic to the facilities are expected to increase, the government of Barbados has embarked on a US$100 million programme to revamp the Airport's current infrastructure. This included repaving the runway, adding a brand new arrivals terminal adjacent to the current building, renovating the current terminal, and bringing the airport infrastructure current for the new millennium. Architects Queen’s Quay Architects International Inc. (Q2) of Ontario, Canada -- are the Architect s of the redesigned GAIA airport, and are monitoring the renovation & expansion of the facilities. Website - www.q2a.net Concorde Museum To east of the main Sir Grantley Adams Airport is the proposed site for the new British Airways Concorde Museum on the old Spencers Plantation. This museum is to become a part of the new proposed expanded airport grounds. British Airways had granted the Government of Barbados one of their retired Concorde aircraft, to be put on permanent display in the island of Barbados. The Q2 company entered a museum and exhibition facility design to the Government of Barbados for this new permanent housing of the aircraft. Contractor Sypher:Mueller International Inc. -- of Ontario, Canada -- are responsible for the contractor, coordination and planning of the new terminal. Website - www.sypher.aero Airport Contact Information: Grantley Adams International Airport Christ Church, Barbados Tel: 1-246-428-7101 REFERENCES
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