[Smevo]

Not directly related to projects, but good to see the area land more direct flights. They seem to be the new trend with the Sydney Airport finally.

From Cape Breton Post.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Airport gets accustomed to customs

By By Tanya Collier MacDonald
the Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The creation of direct flights between Sydney and Cuba is raising a slight customs hurdle for Sunwing Vacations and the Sydney Airport Authority.

For the first time, the airport must prepare for returning passengers to clear customs, as required when a flight from another country lands in Canada. Sunwing, the airport and Canada Border Services Agency are discussing those needs.

The airport’s chief executive officer, Larry MacPherson, said planes carrying about 160 passengers will land at Sydney Airport from Holguin, Cuba, each flight day around 3 p.m. It’s expected that a portion of the airport will be secured to carry out customs requirements.

The airport has access to two customs officers, based in Sydney, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day. If passenger levels require additional staff, the airline or the airport will pay the extra expense. They’re also billed for any overtime.

“We’re dealing with customs now on this whole issue,” said MacPherson. “It falls on the airports and airlines to say ‘How do we go about achieving this objective of having flights out of Sydney to Cuba?’ How does that affect the packaging, and how does it affect the airport in relation to revenue they’re receiving?”

MacPherson said the cost of providing customs officers for international travellers is an issue that’s currently popping up at regional airports across Canada. Larger airports have free access to customs officers but regional airports are required to pay.

Jennifer Morrison, spokesperson at the Canada Border Services Agency, said no official request for additional customs officers has been made by the Sydney airport or Sunwing Vacations.


“The carrier has to make an official request even when it’s within our hours of service,” she said. “We have to know where this aircraft is coming from, we need to have the advanced passenger list and we need to have the amount of officers needed to clear a flight.”

If there aren’t enough officers, passing through customs will be delayed. Morrison said customs officers can refuse overtime.

“We want to do what we can to work co-operatively with the airport authorities but at the same time it’s really important that we have the information so we can make the most prepared and best decisions.”