The latest traffic development figures from the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM Airport) indicate a slight decrease in traffic in 2012 compared to the preceding year.

Charter, corporate jets, and general aviation all suffered significant drops in the period under review. Charter flights decreased from a total of 661 in 2011 to 512 in 2012, a decrease of 22.54%. General aviation also plummeted from 7,671 flights in 2011 to 6,721 flights in 2012 or a decline of -12.38%. The biggest drop percentage-wise, however, was in military aircraft, which dipped to -30.59% with only 59 movements in 2012 versus 85 the preceding year.

 “We are naturally monitoring these figures very closely and analyzing them,” remarked Regina LaBega, managing director of PJIAE, the operating company of SXM Airport.

“These figures bear out the need to improve our facilities in order to be able to accommodate especially corporate jets and general aviation which have had to divert to neighboring airports due to inadequate parking facilities for them at SXM Airport,” she added.

A portion of the US$132 million bond issue the airport just concluded will be allocated to this expansion as part of the Capital Improvement Program which is about to take off shortly.